Speak
by Sassybratt
Summary: AU: She is a new student at a new school with a terrible past. Ever since the accident that claimed her father's life, she hasn't breathed a word ... until a half breed and his friends invite her in with open arms. Full Summary Inside.
1. Silence

Summary: AU: Silence is not a gift. It is a curse. She is a new student at a new school with a terrible past. Ever since the night of the accident that claimed her father's life, she hasn't breathed a word. That is, until a certain half breed and his friends invite her in with open arms. During the course of a week, Kagome experiences Friendship, Love, and Betrayal. Will she ever be able to speak of that night that clamied her father's life as well as her voice?

**Speak**

**Chapter 1: Prologue: Silence**

The sun dipped below the horizon as the final rays of sunlight poured into the bland room. She stood alone, her midnight hair shifting slightly from the breeze wafting through the open window. Her big brown eyes clouded over with desolation as she slowly packed the remainder of her school supplies. _Why did we have to move? These people will be just like everyone else, 'pick on her because she doesn't talk'. _The girl's anger peaked as she paused the task at hand. Shaking her head, forcing the dark thoughts out of her mind, she heaved a sigh. Gloom replaced her fury as she continued to pack.

A knock came to the door. "Kagome," she heard her younger brother, Souta, call out to her. Glancing over her shoulder at the sound of her name, the door opened to reveal a young boy, only about ten years old. She smiled and turned back to cramming her notebooks into her back pack. Souta came up beside her and watched her pack her things. "Mom wants you downstairs. She says she has something for you."

The teenager nodded her head, showing him she understood. He smiled half-heartily and retreated from her room, shutting the door behind him. Kagome finished stuffing the remainder of her supplies into her bag and zipped it up. Setting it on her desk, she walked to the door. _I wonder what mom wants to give me. _Lost in her thoughts, the young woman happily scampered down the stairs.

Stopping at the landing, Kagome looked around the see where her mother was. "I'm in here," came a smooth, feminine voice, beckoning her daughter to the kitchen. She smiled, thankful her mom had heard her. Bounding towards the kitchen, her senses immediately filled with the smell of her mother's cooking. Kagome closed her eyes and breathed deeply, allowing the aroma to calm her nerves.

Her mother stood by the stove, stirring chicken soup in a pot. The raven-haired beauty took a seat at the table, waiting expectantly. As the older woman continued to cook, silence enshrouded them.

"You know, dear," her mother finally spoke. "Starting at a new school won't be so bad." She stole a glance at her daughter and allowed a sad smile to play on her lips. Kagome's expression twisted in displeasure as she crossed her arms and pouted. Giving a slight chuckle, her mother returned to preparing dinner.

Turning off the stove, the older woman silently filled the dishes with the meal she had concocted. "Gramps, Souta! Dinner is ready," she called through the quiet house. A mumble of replies and a shuffling of feet reached their ears as an elderly gentleman and the young boy appeared in the kitchen. They took their respective seats as the small table, waiting patiently for their food.

The dishes were set down in front of each individual as Kagome's mother sat down as well. Everyone began to eat silently. _I thought mom had something she wanted to give me ..._Kagome thought, eyeing her mom suspiciously. The dark haired woman didn't seem to notice her daughter's glances as she continued to eat the American dish.

"Souta, have you finished packing?" The kind hearted woman always made sure everyone had everything they needed. Said boy nodded in reply as he shoved another bit of chicken into his mouth.

"Don't forget the Sacred Sutras. They will protect you from evil and ward off bad spirits. Those spells have been handed down through the generations to our family ..." Kagome's grandfather didn't have a chance to finish as she gave him a small punch in the arm; telling him to give it a rest. The older man sighed in defeat. Kagome glanced down at her meal as a smile adorned her lips. _He never changes ... _

After dinner, the men of the house headed upstairs to prepare for bed. Everyone had a big day ahead of them tomorrow. Souta and Kagome started at a new school, their mom had to start her new job as a nurse, and their grandfather had to finish unpacking all of the antiques the movers had stored in the shed.

Kagome and her mother stayed in the kitchen, cleaning up the dinner dishes. They were both quiet as a comfortable silence hovered in the air. The only thing that graced their ears was the shuffling of feet upstairs and the quiet clanking of china.

As they finished, Kagome dried off her hands. Making her way towards the stairs, her mother's voice stopped her. "Kagome, could you wait here for a moment? I'd like to give you something." The teenager immediately turned around, an eager look in her eyes. The older woman smiled and left the room. Kagome sat down at the table, awaiting her mother's return.

She didn't have to wait long, however, as her mother soon returned with a small jewelry box. Her chestnut eyes never left the gift as Kagome watched her mother set it down on the table between them.

"It was your father's. He was going to give it to you as a birthday gift." Kagome stared wide eyed at her mother when she spoke, her gentle voice over taken by sadness. Her birthday wasn't for another two weeks; she was turning seventeen. "I thought you needed some encouragement." They hadn't really talked much about her father since the accident, so it surprised the young girl. With shaky hands, Kagome fingered the red velvet box before opening it. Her eyes sparkled and her mouth dropped as she saw what it contained. It was the most beautiful necklace she had ever lain eyes on.

It had a thin silver chain and attached to it was a small silver heart; representing a locket. A cursive K had been engraved on the front. The new owner delicately pulled the chain out from it's confinement and draped it over her fingers; the locket centered in her palm. Kagome's face filled with wonder as she slowly opened it. Tears dotted the corners of her eyes as she saw what was inside. The left portion of the heart held a picture of her father, smiling happily. The right side held a picture of Kagome when she was much younger. The two pictures appeared to be from the same photo, but they had been cut to fit inside the tiny frames. They were positioned just right; her younger, smiling face looking up towards her father.

Tears fell from her eyes as she was pushed into a fit of silent sobs. Kagome's mother immediately rushed to her daughter's side, bringing her into an embrace. They sat there for a moment as the desolate teenager regained control over her emotions. She lifted her head off of her mother's shoulder and glanced at her angelic visage. Forcing a smile, the young maiden stood up and left the kitchen, heading towards her room.

Kagome's mother sat there silently as she watched her oldest child ascend the stairs until she disappeared into her room. "Oh, Kagome ... what can I do? How can I help you?" Her large, doe eyes filled with despair as she stood. She wandered around the room, securing the doors and shutting off the remaining lights. The frail woman proceeded to her bedroom at the top of the stairs. Walking into her room, she rested her hand lightly against the wall to guide the way and stumbled towards the closet.

When she made it to the twin mirror-doors, she opened them and reached her hand into the very back of the small space; taking out a neatly wrapped package. The broken woman opened it and carefully pulled out the clothes that had been secured inside. Bringing them to her face, she inhaled deeply. _They still hold his scent. _Kagome's mother sighed as she continued to sit on the edge of her bed; remembering her husband. She finally returned the fabric to their package and burrowed it back into the depth of her closet, hidden from view. Slowly rising, the dark haired beauty made her way to her bed; the moon lightly her path.

She closed the curtains and sat down on the firm mattress. Her thoughts took over as she sat in the dark, weeping silently to herself.

A/N: So I was going to do a Christmas special (either innterconnected one-shots or A Christmas Wish) but I couldn't keep the spirit long enough to do so. Instead, I've decided to publish my newest story. As always, updates are going to slow down a bit because I have four stories going, but THD should be finishing up soon. I was going to update TBAT but I thought it to be too gory and depressing for Christmas. So I decided to give you Speak. Hope you like it and please review! Thanks!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


	2. First Day

**Speak**

**Chapter 2: First Day**

*RRIIINNNGGG!*

A hand appeared from beneath the covers and shut off the alarm clock. Kagome sleepily rose from her bed and came to a sitting position, stiffening a yawn in the process. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and glanced at the time. Worn and tired of her constant struggle, she remembered what lay ahead of her. _That's right. I have to start school today … _Slowly getting out of bed, she grabbed a pair of baggy pants and a sweat shirt, making her way to the bathroom.

The young woman stepped into the shower, allowing the hot water to wash away the deep foreboding feelings in the pit of her stomach. Taking a full thirty minutes, she tried to desperately avoid the inevitable. She wasn't looking forward to another school year, one which would most likely have her hiding in the bathroom during lunch, or pretending to be sick on some days. People could just be so cruel, especially when they believed themselves to be better then everyone else. Finishing up, she quickly threw on her clothes and dried her hair before shuffling back to her room.

Walking over to her mahogany dresser, she brushed out her a final time. She wore no makeup, but her face held a natural beauty. Setting down her brush, she picked up her father's necklace. A smile blessed her lips for a moment before curiosity consumed her eyes as she grazed her fingers over the back of the locket. Turning it over, she read the engraving carved in the back.

_Kagome_

_Keep Strong_

_Love dad_

Kagome's eyes filled with tears as a sad smile flitted across her lips. She softly wiped away the salty droplets before she clasped the locket around her neck. Even though her father was gone, it seemed he always knew what was to happen and what to do to make things better. She slipped it beneath her sweatshirt, not wanting to show it in public. It held a special place in her heart and she believed nobody else deserved to share this with her. Taking one final glanced in the mirror, she grabbed her backpack and tried to prepare for what was in store for her.

* * *

Kagome made it to school with the help of her mother. Even though she was a junior in high school, she still hadn't gotten her license. With everything that had happened in the past year, it became the last thing on her mind. She gave her mom a smile, silently thanking her, as she turned around and headed up the steps to the main entrance.

The young beauty sauntered down the crowded hallway, completely lost. Sure they mailed her schedule to her, but they had failed to give her any information as to how to get around the school. Currently, she was looking for her locker, hoping to get that out of the way. _1254 … 1256 … 1258 … 1260. Here it is. _She stopped by one of the many lockers and began to turn the lock, trying out the combination.

After a few tries, she still couldn't open it and began to get frustrated. Not only did she have no knowledge of the school, but she couldn't even manage to open her damn locker. Not a great start to her first day at a new school. She sighed and laid her forehead against the cool metal, slowing her breathing to try and relax.

"Locker trouble?" a masculine voice asked, startling Kagome. She whipped her head around to come face to face with a pair of amber eyes. She nodded her head slowly and took a step off to the side, allowing him full view of the trouble at hand. "Here, let me help." He smirked as he laid his fist against the metal.

He glanced down at Kagome's schedule that she held in her hands and read off the combination. Turning the knob a few times, he pounded the door with his fist. He yanked on the handle and it swung open, revealing an empty space inside. "Yeah, this school sucks when it comes to maintenance. Considering you had trouble, you must be new." Kagome looked up at him, still in a trance by his unusual golden spheres.

She snapped out of it, however, when he gave her a funny look. Drawing her eyes to the ground, she smiled in response. He merely shrugged it off and opened his mouth to say something when a voice called out from behind him.

"Inuyasha," a male voice floated across the hallway as someone struggled to get through the crowd.

"Oh, hey Miroku," the one with the golden eyes said, who Kagome confirmed to be Inuyasha. She shifted her gaze to the man coming towards them, obviously named Miroku. He had jet black hair that had been pulled back into a small ponytail, and sported a t-shirt and faded blue jeans. What interested Kagome the most was the red hand print he wore across his face.

Inuyasha glared at him suspiciously. "You just can't leave the girl alone, can you lecher?" Miroku gave him a sheepish grin in response as Inuyasha grunted. Kagome was amused and it seemed to her like this was a normal thing for them. Without knowing, a wide grin spread across her face.

At this time, Miroku noticed her. "And who is this lovely lady," he asked, taking one of Kagome's hands and brought it to his lips, giving it a small peck. A blush appeared on the young woman's face as she pulled her hand away.

"Give it a rest!" A dark haired female pushed her way through the crowd and hit Miroku over the head; obviously annoyed by his actions.

"But Sango! I was only being polite!" The girl, Sango, just gave him a cold stare, which shut Miroku up real quick. Crossing her arms, she huffed a frustrated breath. Inuyasha continued to stare at his friends before shaking his head and looking at Kagome.

"So, what's your name?" Kagome panicked. It wasn't that she couldn't talk, she just didn't want to. She couldn't exactly say why, but she knew it had something to do with the night of the accident. It was as if what she had seen, or what had happened, caused her to close up, not allowing her voice to be heard.

She blushed and observed the floor, obviously uncomfortable. Hoping they would leave her alone, she put her bag in her locker, grabbed the things she needed and shut her locker door. She once again glanced down at her schedule and tried to find her classroom. Unfortunately, Inuyasha blocked her way.

When he had no intentions of moving, Kagome tried to get around him, but he just stepped in front of her. _This is the last thing I need right now … _Kagome thought as she sighed in defeat.

"What's your problem? Don't you talk," Inuyasha asked. The young woman in question began blushing profusely, forcing her eyes not to meet his gaze. She did notice, however, the death glare that Sango gave him.

"Inuyasha!" He looked over at the fiery brunette to see her glaring daggers at him. He gulped. "You can be so inconsiderate," she screamed at him.

He immediately went into defensive mode. "You're one to talk! You always go around hitting and punching Miroku! You're the inconsiderate one!"

"I have good reason to do that," Sango countered. Kagome's eyes shifted between the two as Miroku tried to break up the quarrel. She let a small smile appear on her lips. This gave her a chance to really take in the couple's appearance.

Sango had long, brown hair that was pulled up into a ponytail. Her brown eyes were kind, but had a flare of anger in them at the moment. She wore a white tube top with a light pink jacket over it that went to just above her naval. Her jeans were a faded light blue and she wore simple running shoes.

It was Inuyasha who startled Kagome. He wore a red t-shirt, similar to Mirkou's, and a pair of slightly baggy blue jeans covering him from the waist down. That's not what surprised her though. His long, silver hair reached the middle of his back and sitting atop his head were two dog ears. Kagome stared, shocked by the sight.

By this time, the group had calmed down; although tension still hung in the air. Inuyasha looked away from Sango, clearly beaten. Miroku sighed. _It's only the first day and they're already at it. _While the other two were still fuming, he decided to talk to the new girl. She was new to the school and all she saw were a bunch of crazy people.

"So, what _is _your name?" Kagome still stared at Inuyasha's head, clearly dazzled by his ears. Miroku followed her gaze and started to laugh. This startled the shocked teen and she glanced over at him, trying to figure out what was so funny. Kagome turned her attention back to Inuyasha as he stood, arms crossed, watching his friend laugh like an idiot.

"What's your problem, Miroku?" He eyed him suspiciously. Kagome tried to control herself. She felt a strong urge to grab his ears and give them a gentle rub, but she used all her strength to resist. Sango finally figured out what Miroku was laughing about when she saw where Kagome was looking. This brightened up her mood considerably and a wide smile formed on her lips.

"That's right. She probably has no idea what Inuyasha is." Kagome gave her questioning glances. "Inuyasha is a half demon; meaning his mother was human and his father was demon."

Inuyasha glared at her. "Damn it, Sango, you don't have to go around telling the whole world!" He grunted and looked away. Kagome smiled at his attitude, slowly becoming accustomed to it. She had heard about demons living amongst the human world, although their numbers dwindled each day. It was hundreds of years ago that a battle waged between the two worlds, and eventually the humans won. The majority of demons had died out, leaving only a few of their kind behind.

"Let me see your schedule," Miroku said, startling her out of her thoughts and taking her schedule. "Kagome. Is that your name?" He glanced back over at the dark haired woman and received a slight nod. "Well, Kagome, that is a beautiful name." He reached down to grab her hand for a quick kiss, but she wasn't going to fall for that again and pulled her hand just out of reach. He gave her an innocent grin. Sango didn't fall for it though.

"Here, let me see her schedule." The brunette grabbed Kagome's schedule out of Miroku's hands, sending him a glare in the process. "Well, let's see … you have the first class with Inuyasha, the next class with Miroku, third and fourth period you have with me, fifth period we all have lunch, and seventh period you have with Inuyasha." Clearly, she had already memorized everyone's schedules. "I'm sorry, Kagome, but none of us are in your sixth period class." She gave her new friend a look of pity, but Kagome only smiled. _Why are they being so nice to me? I don't talk, don't they think that's weird?_

The warning bell rang as the crowds in the hallways began to diminish. Sango gave Kagome back her schedule. "Well, we better get to class; I don't want a tardy on the first day. See you later, Kagome." She waved over her shoulder as she proceeded down the hallway. Miroku said his goodbye's as well and followed her. Kagome could see Sango watching him, making sure he kept his distance.

"Feh," Inuyasha grunted, watching his friends disappear in the crowded hallway. "Sango has a temper and Miroku is a lecher. Don't know how those two are friends." Kagome glanced back at Inuyasha as he spoke. He huffed and took a few steps in the opposite direction, heading towards class. "Aren't you coming," he called over his shoulder as he stopped walking. A blush dusted her visage as she quickened her pace to catch up.

Her thoughts were racing as to why the group of teens were so kind. The few friends she had at her old school kind of shunned her after the accident. She became a loner and felt isolated within the crowded hallways. It was strange to find a people willing to become her friend without so much as a sideways glance. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind as she walked towards the door Inuyasha disappeared through.

A/N: Wow! I am so surprised by all of the reviews this story got in just the first chapter. I'm so glad you guys like it so far. Someone mentioned the book/movie Speak and believed this was based off of it. I love that book, one of my favs, but this isn't based off of it at all, although it may seem like it. Anyways, hope you liked the second chapter and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear ideas. Even though I've written it out in advance, putting in an extra twist or two is always an option. Thanks for reading and please **review**!

P.S. **Please take my poll!!!**


	3. Making Friends

**Speak**

**Chapter 3: Making Friends**

Kagome quickly walked over to the teacher's desk, a note in hand. When the instructor read the small slip of paper, he gave her a smile and told her to take a seat. The note briefly explained to the teacher how Kagome refused to talk and to make sure he gave her extra help. Blah, blah, blah.

She stood in front of the classroom and became lost as to where she was going to sit. Relief flooded through her when Inuyasha smirked and rolled his eyes to the seat beside him. Kagome smiled and gladly took his offer. She sat down and threw him a thankful glance as the bell rang.

The professor was an odd looking man, his dark hair sprinkled with grey. He stood up in front of the room and the class quieted as he spoke. "Hello, class, I am Professor Botan and this is Physics. This year we will be learning ... " The class groaned as he went into lecture phase, talking about what the rest of the year would consist of.

Kagome tried to pay attention to what he said, but was distracted as Inuyasha passed her a note.

_Why don't you talk?_

She stared down at the paper and shook her head. The young woman refused to talk to her family, let alone a complete stranger. Inuyasha noticed this and gave her a questioning glance. She merely stuffed the note in her back pack, refusing to write back. The silver haired male crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, clearly frustrated with her. He decided not to push it, considering it was her first day, and didn't bother her for the remainder of the period.

The rest of the day went by like her first class. Miroku had asked similar questions and Kagome had replied in the same manner. Although, she had to give Sango credit. Instead of prying Kagome for answers to her deepest secrets, she happily complied to Kagome's desire for privacy and struck up a one-way conversation.

Lunch time came and Sango took her new friend's hand, dragging her to the cafeteria. "You have no idea how excited I am. Hanging out with Inuyasha and Miroku is fun, sure, but they just don't understand the concept of 'girl time'." Kagome smiled politely, slightly nervous about venturing into a cafeteria. After all, at her old school she seeked refuge in the bathroom or the library to study. Forcefully hauled up to the lunch line, she watched at Sango placed food on her tray; gesturing for Kagome to do the same.

When they reached the end of the line, Sango paid for both of their lunches. Kagome tried to protest, but Sango ignored her, saying it was the least she could do since Kagome was a new student and she had to deal with their group of estranged friends. Sighing in defeat, the silent teen followed her to their lunch table. They sat down next to one another as Miroku and Inuyasha took a seat across from them. "Damn, you did not want to be in Botan's class this morning. It was a complete waste of time," the half-demon complained, taking a bite out of his burger.

Sango sighed. "Yash, the entire first day is boring." She twirled her fork around her noodles, clearly losing her appetite at the sight of cafeteria food.

"I'm just sayin'," he responded, trying to strike up an argument. "If they're gonna lecture us about what we need for the class and such, why don't they just give us a list and say 'see ya later'?"

"You're hopeless," the brunette responded, shaking her head slightly. She didn't bother saying that even if they did receive a list, Inuyasha probably wouldn't read it anyways. If she spoke her mind, a fight was sure to ensue.

"Although, I enjoyed Ms. Yura's class today," Miroku said, a perverted grin blessing his lips. "The way her hips swayed and her skirt hung close to her - Ow!"

Sango kicked him beneath the table before muttering 'pervert' under her breath. Kagome smiled at the trio, watching as Miroku offered up a string of excuses. Suddenly, a cool presence filled the air, reaching across the room directly to their table. "Inuyasha," a feminine voice called over the cafeteria. Inuyasha and Miroku winced while Sango's expression filled with discontent. Kagome followed her gaze and saw a woman swiftly making her way towards them.

Her movements were smooth and angelic, her skin white as snow, and her hair black as coal. She threw her slender arms around the half-demon's neck. "Hey," she whispered seductively, batting her eyelashes. "Where were you all summer? Missed you." The captured man pried her hands away from him and gave her a glare.

"Avoiding you," he snapped. The girl's eyes flashed with sadness, but only for a moment as she quickly regained her composure. A smile crept across her lips.

"What do you want, Kikyo?" Sango's cold words pierced the young woman like ice. She seemed taken aback by her harsh tone.

"Well, I'm here to see my beloved Inu," she lied. "Why else would I grace you with my presence?" Inuyasha practically gagged at the nickname as Kagome held Sango down from launching her fists into Kikyo's face.

Just then, someone called to Kikyo from a few tables over. She gave Inuyasha a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later." With that, she walked away, throwing a smirk over her shoulder.

Inuyasha wiped his cheek with the back of his hand in disgust. By this time, Sango's anger had subsided a bit and Kagome could release her grip on her. Miroku sighed, glancing in the direction Kikyo took off in.

"What is with her? Doesn't she understand it's over between you?" The young woman's fury could easily be heard in her voice.

Miroku rested a hand on Sango's, trying to calm her down. "Kikyo is used to getting what she wants, thanks to her parents spoiling her. It's not her fault she acts this way."

The amber-eyed student grunted, completely oblivious to Kagome's confusion. After a moment, Sango shifted her eyes and saw her friend's bewildered expression. "Oh, I'm sorry, Kagome. I forgot you don't have a clue about what happened." The boys turned their attention to her as well. Kagome blushed slightly, not used to all of the attention. She shook her head, allowing Sango to continue.

Ripping her hand away from Miroku's, making him sigh in rejection, she began to explain. "You see, Inuyasha and Kikyo used to date last year. Long story short, he caught her cheating on him with some other guy." Kagome nodded in understanding. Inuyasha only looked away, clearly wanting to change the subject.

Miroku, sensing his friend's discomfort, spoke up. "Hey, you done with that, Sango?" he asked, pointing to her untouched lunch tray. Sighing, she nodded her head and placed her tray on top of his.

The young man stood up and took his time to discard the trays. "I'm going to the bathroom, be right back," she told the twosome, climbing off the bench and disappearing into the crowd of students. That left Kagome and Inuyasha alone at the table to continue eating silently. Kagome, thinking no one was watching, delicately grasped the chain adorning her neck; dark memories swirling around in her mind.

Inuyasha noticed something glint beneath the flourescent lights and looked up as the raven-haired beauty held something in her hand. "What's that?" he asked, swallowing his mouthful and giving the girl in question a curious glance. She was startled from her thoughts and quickly tucked the necklace beneath her sweatshirt, hoping he wouldn't ask again.

He eyed her suspicious behavior. Before he could ask anything, Sango returned with an annoyed expression. Miroku trailed behind wearing a sheepish grin and a red hand print. Kagome smiled, amused by her new friends' personalities. _They're all so nice and haven't even turned me away. I don't talk, so why do they continue to be friendly to me?_

The young maiden was sprung from her thoughts when the bell rang. The four of them stood up and Inuyasha moved off the bench towards the direction of the garbage can before being abruptly stopped by Sango. "Yash!" she scolded, glaring at him from across the table.

He turned a confused gaze to her. "What now?" he sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Take Kagome's tray, too." The brunette placed her friend's tray on his without consent.

"What the hell? Can't she put her own tray away?" A scowl adorned his face as a fang protruded from his lip.

"Stop being such an ass," she said, folding her arms and staring him down. "I have to show Kagome to her next class or else she'll get lost." Leaving no room for argument, Sango grabbed Kagome's arm and began pulling her towards the exit. Inuyasha 'Feh'd' and went off in the opposite direction to dispose of the garbage. Kagome was stunned for a moment before Sango broke through her thoughts. "Come on, Kags, its not that far from here." When the brunette gave her a hesitant glance, Kagome smiled her approval of the new nickname. She allowed Sango to lead her away, tearing her gaze from Inuyasha's receding figure.

A/N: Alright, so there is chapter three. My goodness, this story is getting reviews like crazy. I'm so glad you guys like it so much. Unfortunatly, this is going to be the last update for a bit. Things have gotten busier around here and I won't have as much time to update. I will, however, continue to write when I can and hopefully when I get a chance to jump on the computer, I'll have a few new chapters for you. For my readers of Keeping Strong, I plan to update that sometime this week. I just need to edit the chapter a bit. Hope you guys liked this chapter. **Please review and take my poll**. Thanks!


	4. The Blue Eyed Boy and Kikyo's Plot

**Speak**

**Chapter 4: The Blue Eyed Boy and Kikyo's Plot**

Kagome once again wandered the halls aimlessly. Even with the directions Sango gave her, she still managed to end up lost. She stopped in her tracks and glanced around at the room numbers, trying to figure out what to do. The crowds in the hallway were beginning to disappear as the clock changed, giving her two minutes until class began.

The young student began walking again, going over the directions Sango had given her. Finally convincing herself she was going in the right direction, she quickened her pace, watching as the room numbers passed by. When she came to the end of the hallway, and had yet to find room 308, she frowned and glanced in both directions she was now faced with. The left hallway was lined with lockers and the classrooms seemed to be reaching towards the four-hundreds. To the right, a single classroom stood along with a staircase. With only one minute to go, she took to the right and headed straight towards the door.

A smile reached across her lips as she glanced at the numbers overhead. '308' it read in block letters. She almost laughed at her stupidity and shook her head. The bell rang as she opened the door. Walking into the already full classroom, a small blush rested lightly on her cheeks. Once again handing over the note, the teacher gave her a hard glare, but told her to take a seat nonetheless. Kagome took an empty desk in the back, unaware of the person beside her.

As the teacher stood and began her lesson for the day, Kagome felt a set of eyes on her. She glanced to her left to see a pair of cerulean orbs staring back at her. "Well, hello beautiful," a masculine voice breathed. He had long, black hair pulled up into a ponytail and he wore a white t-shirt and a jacket, sporting the school's football team. Faded blue jeans adorned his hips and his feet were covered in white sneakers. The mysterious man took her hand in his and gazed intensely into her chocolate eyes.

"You must be new here, because I know every pretty girl there is," he whispered, avoiding the teacher's ears. Kagome blushed while trying to pull her hand away. He wouldn't ease his grip and continued to mumble to her. "The names Kouga. What's yours?" She didn't answer him and a sly smirk crept across his face. "Oh, I see. Playing hard to get? Don't worry, I'll win you over. I always do." He dropped her hand and tuned back into what the teacher was saying.

Kagome could only stare at him, a bewildered look adorning her visage. _Well isn't he cocky? _Sighing in annoyance, she dropped her gaze from him and looked back at the teacher, ignoring him for the rest of class.

* * *

She had to admit, Kouga was helpful, as he led her to her next class. She gave him a smile as she entered study hall and instantly spotted Inuyasha. She gave her note to the professor and made her way over to where her new friend sat. He turned away from talking to the red haired boy beside him and offered her the unoccupied seat next to him. As soon as she sat down, he turned his attention to her. "Hey," he whispered, watching the teacher from his peripheral vision. She smiled at him, allowing him to continue. "How was last class?"

Kagome sighed, immediatly alerting the half-demon to her mood. Obviously the class had not gone over well. "Let me guess, you had issues with finding it?" She smiled affirmingly and a blush crept across her cheeks. "Feh, let me tell you. Never, and I mean never let Sango give you directions again. She can barely find her way around her house, let alone help someone else through school." Her smile widened as he smirked at the comment.

They continued in a muffled one-way conversation; him saying sarcastic remarks about their two fiery friends, while she smiled and nodded at the appropriate times. Wondering how he could be so open and friendly rarely crossed the young woman's mind, instead deciding to listen to his words.

She didn't realize, however, that a pair of eyes were staring at the two. Kikyo sat in the back of the classroom; a pencil poised in her hand as it hovered over a blank sheet of notebook paper. She had been angry with Inuyasha's reaction earlier that day. Now some new girl was snuggling up to her boyfriend? Her eyes flickered with jealousy as her friend laid a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her nerves.

Kikyo shifted her eyes and glared at Naraku. His red orbs glowered and an evil smirk formed on his lips. "What are you planning," Kikyo mumbled to him, her usual emotionless voice holding a twinge of curiosity.

He gave a slight chuckle. "It seems the new girl has taken a liking to Inuyasha." When the young woman beside him raised a perfectly arched brow, he continued. "Let's bide our time; learn her weaknesses, find her strengths. Once she comes to trust the filthy mutt, we can crash her world in an instant. Then Inuyasha will be yours."

Her lips curved downward in a frown. "And what is it you get? Surely you can not expect me to believe you would do such a thing as helping another." Her eyes narrowed, waiting for his response.

Naraku smirked. "The girl seems so fragile, so pure. I want to break her." A rare smile flitted across Kikyo's features as she pondered the wicked man's words.

A/N: Okay, I know this chapter is short and seems a bit rushed, but I had to get it out there. You're lucky I was able to update, considering how busy my life is. Anyways, let me know what you think and I'll try to put up another chapter soon. Thanks! **Please take my poll!**


	5. Lending A Hand

**Speak**

**Chapter 5: Lending A Hand**

Kagome and Inuyasha exited the classroom. Although Kagome didn't speak, she could barely stand the silence the teacher enforced on the study hall class. After Inuyasha had spoken a few words to her, he was instantly reprimanded for doing so, earning him a warning with threat of detention. A snide remark was perched on his toungue, but he held back when he saw Kagome's pleading gaze. He had only known her for less than a day and already she knew of his short temper. He smirked.

She opened her locker, with the assistance of Inuyasha's fist, and grabbed her things. Sango and Miroku walked up besides them shortly after. It didn't surprise Kagome that the lecher, once again, wore a hand print across his face. She shook her head, already used to his strange habits.

"Hey, Kags," Sango greeted cheerfully. "How was class?"

Kagome responded with a shrug of her shoulders. "Keh," Inuyasha grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. "She almost didn't have class 'cause of you. Never give directions again."

The young woman frowned. "Inuyasha," she grounded out angriliy, fisting her hands at her sides and fixating her hardened glare on him.

Miroku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Wow, she sure has mood swings," he mumbled to himself, shifting his eyes between the two.

"What did you say, lecher?" Sango questioned harshly, turning her fiery gaze to him.

"Nothing at all, dear Sango," he quickly replied, waving his hands in front of him drastically for defense.

Before the angered student could pound him brainless, Kagome's cell phone began to vibrate. She retrieved it from her pocket and flipped it open to reveal a text message from her mom.

_Kag. Souta got sick at school. Had to pick him up. Has a fever and headache. Going to doctors. Sorry, can't pick you up._

The dark haired beauty's face fell when she read it. Now what was she going to do? Racking her mind for an answer, she could only come up with a single solution. Guess she was walking home ... She responded to her mom, saying everything was fine and she found someone to give her a ride. Her mom had to deal with a sick Souta, which was a battle in itself. She didn't need to feel guilty for leaving Kagome stranded.

Taking a break from watching the fighting couple, Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome and noticed the change of emotions on her face. "What's wrong, Kagome?" he asked. She only shook her head and gave a small smile, trying to persuade him to let the question drop. He wasn't fooled, however, and took it upon himself to snatch her phone away. He opened it and read the text message.

"Yash!" Sango screamed, watching the exchange occur. "You can't just grab somebody's phone and go through their messages! Damn, sometimes you can be so inconsiderate." She managed to take the phone back from the half-demon and gently gave it back to her new friend. Miroku put a hand on the fiery female's shoulder, trying to settle her fury.

"Calm down, Sango. Even Inuyasha isn't that rude. He probably has a good explanation." He glanced at Inuyasha expectantly.

"Keh," he grunted, folding his arms. "Turns out she doesn't have a ride home. Get off my back already." The brunette's anger immediately subsided, leaving a small blush of embarrassment across her cheeks. She mumbled something that sounded like an apology.

"Ya gonna give her a ride?" Inuyasha snapped, ignoring Sango's words.

She shook her head, all tension gone from the air. "Sorry. I have to go pick up Kohaku and bring him to his soccer tryouts. What about you, Miroku?" The man in question opened his mouth to respond, but Sango interrupted him. "On second thought, never mind. I don't trust you."

The dark haired male feigned a look of hurt. "Do you honestly think I would try something with an innocent girl?" Inuyasha and Sango shot him a glare that told him to shut it. When the perverted boy realized nobody bought into his charade, he quickly dropped it and offered up a sheepish grin.

"Well, guess I could take her," Inuyasha responded, dipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Kagome shot him a look that said You-don't-have-to, but the silver haired teen ignored her. "Come on, Kagome. Let's go." He began to walk away, stopping a short distance from them, inviting the silent girl to hurry.

"I better go, too," Sango voiced. She gave her new friend an encouraging smile and started off toward the main entrance. A silly grin appeared on Miroku's face as he waved goodbye and took off after the slender brunette. Only a moment passed before Kagome heard a smack and saw Miroku rubbing his injured cheek.

She smiled and glanced back at Inuyasha, noticing he was still waiting for her. She ran to catch up and they walked out of school, side by side.

* * *

The young woman was frustrated. She followed Inuyasha as he searched the parking lot for his car, cursing about after school activities allowing kids to keep their cars on school premises. Glancing at the time, Kagome realized most of the school had emptied and students had gone home for the day. Unfortunately, not every one left as early as she would have liked.

Sighing from the wide array of the half-demon's words, she readjusted her back pack on her shoulder and slipped between two cars for what seemed like the millionth time in the past ten minutes. Finally, she heard him mumble something that sounded like relief and watched him go around a red automobile and unlocked the driver's side door. A look of awe erupted on her face as she took in the image of the deep, red Porsche. The windows were tinted black, obscuring the driver and passengers from view. When she opened the door, she found the inside to be coated in tan leather. Sitting down very carefully, she quietly shut the door behind her.

Inuyasha turned the key in the ignition and the car purred to life. He was oblivious to Kagome's stunned expression, still angered by the previous search for the car. "Buckle up," he ordered. She shot him a glare before doing as he said, wondering how he could have missed the expensive car in the first place. After all, they went to a public school where money wasn't given to everyone. Then again, she guessed some people had rich parents. An image of Kikyo passed through her mind.

With great precision, the half-demon expertly maneuvered the car out of the parking lot and into the flow of traffic. "Where's your house?" he asked, anger slightly gone from his voice as he trained his eyes on the road. Kagome dug a sheet of notebook paper out of her bag and quickly wrote down the directions to her house.

When she offered the sheet to him, he took it and glanced it over. "I know where that is." He handed it back without so much as a smirk. She took it, only slightly disappointed in the waste of paper, and kept her eyes on the scenes passing by the passenger window. An awkward silence filled the air, although Kagome found she could do little about it. After all, she couldn't really put words into the air, now could she?

The couple had seemed so comfortable in class just moments earlier, why the sudden change? Kagome brought her arms over her head, stretching while stiffening a yawn. It had been a long day and she couldn't wait to get home and curl up on the couch with hot tea and a movie.

Inuyasha glanced over at that moment and saw her sleeves slide down a bit, exposing her skin. It held a beautiful cream color, shimmering against the sunlight. A confused look flashed across his eyes, wondering why she would want to hide her skin with an over-sized sweatshirt. A pink tint dusted his visage and he shrugged the idea off as he sped down the street towards Kagome's house.

As they pulled up in front of it, the young woman quickly opened her door, grateful to be free of the silence inside the car. She shot him a thankful glance and slung her bag over her shoulder. He rolled down the passenger window and leaned his head towards it after she shut the door. "See ya later, Kagome," he called out to her. She waved her hand in acknowledgement and he smirked as he pulled away.

About five minutes later, he glimpsed the passenger seat to see a white sheet of paper. He curiously picked it up, glancing between the paper and the road. He saw Kagome's name and the classes she was taking. _She forgot her schedule ... great ... _Coming to the conclusion it had fallen out of her bag when she pulled out the piece of paper with directions to her house, he pondered on what to do. He knew she would need it tomorrow, but he had more pressing matters to attend to. _I'll stop by her house tonight and give it to her._

He drove towards his house, preparing for his brother's wrath. They had never gotten along, considering they were half-brothers by their father's blood, but Sesshomaru had taken over their father's business after his death and always appeared angry or stressed about something. Although, most of the time he kept a cool head ... if you didn't know him. Inuyasha smirked at the thought and continued home.

A/N: Alright, there is chapter five. Sorry for the long wait. I had things going on for the past week and haven't had much time to work on stories. Hope you liked it and please review. Its going to get better in the next few chapters. As a side note, I should be uploading a brand new story either today or tomorrow so be sure to check that out. And I'm working on a few new stories that were voted the most wanted on my poll. I'm sorry for the wait, but I'm doing the best I can. Thanks for reading and **please take my poll**!


	6. Kikyo's Failed Attempt

**Speak**

**Chapter 6: Kikyo's Failed Attempt**

Kagome stepped into her house and immediately felt the eerie silence. Her mother and Souta were probably still at the doctors and knowing her grandfather, he was probably out back in the storage shed. Taking a glance out the back window, she watched his hunched figure lift another box and disappear in to the shed, a few grunts sounding in between. She smiled and shook her head.

Not wanting to bother the old man, she busied herself with dinner. She was well aware of the fact that her mother would most likely be exhausted by the time she got home. The doctor's office never gets through patients fast enough, always leaving a few less serious cases sitting in the waiting room for an hour. That's why Kagome always took her vitamins.

After some careful reading of instructions and a few mishaps with measuring ingredients, Kagome finally finished and set the food on the table. It was good timing too, because just as the last plate was filled, her mother, grandfather, and a sick looking Souta shuffled through the door. All three of them appeared drained as they stumbled towards the table. Kagome's mother willed herself to give her daughter a thankful glance, tired from the simple gesture.

The silent girl gave her small family a look of understanding as they quietly ate. Souta coughed and sneezed a few times before their mother ushered him to his room, bringing his dinner and a box of tissues along with them. She returned moments later and finished her meal before Kagome sent everyone upstairs. "Oh dear, allow me to do the dishes. You've done quite enough," her mother said, exhaustion evident in her voice. Kagome merely shook her head and pushed her mother gently towards the stairs. "Well, if you insist ... Goodnight, Kagome."

She nodded and watched her mother climb the stairs, hearing a padding of feet and quiet voices as everyone said their good nights and crawled into their beds. Kagome cleared away the table and quickly washed the dishes, eager to go to sleep hereslf. It was only eight o'clock, but she turned off the lights and locked all the doors before heading to bed, grabbing her school bag on the way.

Closing the door and turning on her desk light, Kagome set her bag down on the desk and opened the window; allowing a warm breeze through. Yawning, she changed into her pink silk pajamas and threw her school clothes in the hamper before making her way wearily to her bed, smiling at the thought of sleep.

* * *

Inuyasha pulled up to Kagome's house and shut off the engine. The windows were dark except for a single light on the second floor. The silver male hesitated before proceeding up the stone walkway. Shifting through the many scents, he recognized the mix of lilac and vanilla coming from the room with the glow. Not wanting to wake up the rest of the family, he quietly crept over to the edge of the window. He picked up a few small pebbles nearby and tossed them at the siding of the house next to the window.

After a few tries, a tired Kagome came to the window. Seeing the figure standing on her front lawn, she squinted her eyes to make out his silver hair and school clothes. When she realized it was Inuyasha, she held up her finger, signaling him to hold on. She disappeared from her window and suddenly, the front door opened; casting a soft light onto the lawn. Inuyasha walked over to the door and saw Kagome in her pajamas as she silently invited him in.

A single lamp dully lit the room so it wouldn't wake the rest of the house. Kagome clutched something around her neck; the same thing she had been doing a lunch. Whatever it was, Inuyasha guessed it was special in some way and didn't want to press the matter. Besides, why should he care about something stupid like that?

Briskly making her way to the stove, Kagome held up a pot of tea she had begun brewing before his arrival; offering her guest some. He shook his head and glanced around the place before resting his eyes on her, captivated by her beauty. Her big doe eyes were filled with bewilderment, but a small smile hovered on her lips. "Didn't mean to barge in here," he said, breaking the deafening silence. Kagome stood there, bits of shock dwindling from her features. He took a step towards her and placed a sheet of paper on the counter. "You forgot your schedule in my car ... Thought you might need it." His words were only met with more silence. How did her family deal with all the quiet?

Deep down, Kagome was confused and a bit frightened. Inuyasha came back to her house, at eight o'clock at night, just to return her schedule? She didn't even know him all that well. He was just simply a guy she hung out with at school. Forcing her fears down, she waved her hand over the table, inviting him to sit. He peered at her curiously for a moment, but accepted the offer none the less. He took a seat as Kagome continued to glance at his head, charmed by his ears.

Cautiously, she kneeled before him. For the first time, the half-demon was able to see the full outline of Kagome's body. Without her baggy sweat clothes to hide her skin, he found she was quite slender and had curves in all the right places. She was a mystery, that was for sure. If she had such a great figure, why would she hide it? He shook his head as a soft blush crept across his cheeks. He really needed to stop thinking like that.

Snapping back to the present, he watched her slowly crawl her way over to his position on the cushioned pillow. He opened his mouth to ask what she was doing, observing her hands as they reached above his head, but then he felt the most relazing sensation. Kagome was rubbing his ears. Was she insane or just plain stupid? The last person who dared touched the soft triangles above his head had been hospitalized. To his sensetive ears, a human's or demon's touch could easily render him uncapable of hearing. But this girl was different. Her touch was gentle; almost soothing. He hesitantly closed his amber eyes and began to relax his muscles to the circular motions she created with her delicate fingers.

Peering through his bangs, she noticed the half-demon's calm state as he slowly began to lull to sleep. She smiled knowingly, tracing her gaze over his well structured visage. _He seems so peaceful when he's asleep. _Sighing, she forced her fingers to stop in an attempt to salvage what was left of his dignity. He wouldn't be too happy once he came to and she knew it was a mistake to be so bold.

Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes. "Why did you stop?" he asked in a whispered tone, still affected by the tingling sensation left behind from her touch. When he didn't hear a response, he glanced over at Kagome. She looked down at her hands in her lap to avoid his eyes; a blush resting on her cheeks. He gave her a questioning look. Glimpsing behind her, he noticed the clock hanging on the wall. It was 8:25 p.m. He had already overstayed his welcome and didn't want to push matters.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I ... uh ... should get going," he mumbled, standing up and trying to hide his crimson face. He walked to the door before a hand stopped him. Kagome's grip tightened around his wrist, causing his eyes to swivel in her direction. She smiled a thank you, adoration in his eyes. He merely nodded his head in acknowledgemment as she released his hand and watched him walk out the door. Closing it behind him, he disappeared into the night.

Not a moment later, Kagome heard the soft hum of an engine as it sped down the road. _What have I done? _She asked herself, recalling his visit. Could she be more stupid? He probably already thought she was a freak as is, considering she didn't speak, and now she most likely gave him more of a reason to feel disgusted by her. She mentally slapped herself for what she had done as she grabbed her schedule and headed back upstairs. She sighed and shut off the lights before slipping beneath the covers of her bed, resting her head on the pillow and welcoming sleep.

* * *

Kagome woke up to the annoying ring of her alarm and shut if off, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She sat up and groggily glanced around. It was Friday; last day before the weekend. She heaved a sigh and ripped the covers off of her, slightly shivering. Looking towards the window, she felt the breeze slip by and memories of the night before flooded her mind. _Great ... just great. I finally meet people who are nice to me and I make a total fool of myself._ Making up her mind, she decided to just get the humiliation over with. A sad expression crossed her face as she began rummaging through her closet, trying to find a decent pair of sweats.

She finally found some and pulled a simple grey hoodie off a hanger before proceeding to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, she allowed the water a moment to heat up. While she waited, she got undressed and studied her body in the mirror. She turned around to look at her back. _The burns are finally healing. The ones on my arms are fading as well. _She sighed and shook her head, pushing dark memories to the recess of her mind.

The teenager stepped into the shower, wincing slightly as the scalding liquid touched her skin. She quickly finished and got dressed, heading back to her bedroom. Realization dawned in her eyes as she stopped in her doorway, noticing something odd about the silence crowding the house. Walking back into the hallway, she glanced around. The rest of the doors were still closed. _That's odd. Usually everyone is up before me._

Quietly pressing her ear against her grandfather's door, she smiled when soft snoring reached her ears. Deciding the previous day's event wore everyone out, she gently opened her mother's door and saw her sleeping form in the dark. Kagome slowly shut it, not even bothering with her brother's door. She knew full well he was asleep due to him being sick.

Kagome calmly receded back into her room. _I guess I'm walking to school. _She hooked her back pack over her shoulder, took one last look around the room, and exited. When she reached the kitchen, guilt washed over her body. Her mother would probably worry about why Kagome didn't wake her for a ride to school. Making up her mind, Kagome grabbed a sheet of paper and pen off the counter. Sitting down at the table, the writing utensil strewn across the white paper into a perfectly manicured script.

_Mom,  
You were still asleep and I didn't want to wake you.  
I'm going to school, see you when I get home.  
Love,  
Kagome_

She moved to push the paper away, but then something occured to her.

_P.S. A friend is driving me._

She smiled at her intelligence. Not wanting her mom to worry about her, she made up the little white lie. Setting the pen down and hositing her bag over her shoulder once more, she took off running out the door, pausing to lock it behind her.

* * *

"You know, maybe we should invite Kagome to hang out with us this weekend," Sango mused. Miroku had just picked her up and they were driving towards school. Even though the sun just peeked over the horizon, he already wore a red hand print and a goofy smile on his face. The brunette sat in the passenger seat of his car, already over his little slip up. She was trying to train him into swaying from his lecherous habits, but so far no good had come of it.

"I think that would be a lovely idea, dear Sango," he replied, grasping her hand affectionitly while glancing between the road and her heated auburn eyes.

"Save it," she replied, ripping her hand away. After he made her mad, the pervert always tried to make it up to her. Usually it didn't work. Glancing up, Sango saw a girl walking at a fast pace in the direction of their school. "Miroku, pull over," she suddenly shouted.

The dark haired male just looked at her, surprised by her sudden outburst. "Why, Sango?" He didn't have time to gain a response as she gripped the wheel from him and rubbed the tires up against the curb. Miroku slammed on the brakes. "Damn it! What was that for? Are you trying to get us killed?" Bewilderment crossed his facial features as to what Sango had just done.

She ignored him and rolled down her window. "Kagome!" she yelled to the girl walking. The raven-haired beauty stopped and glanced towards the voice; worry erupting from her eyes. "Need a ride?" Kagome eagerly nodded her head in relief and slipped into the back. Miroku, still annoyed by the sudden turn of events, eased off the brake and into the flow of traffic.

"So Kags," Sango asked, swiveling her body to glance back at her friend. "I thought your mom drove you to school." Kagome smiled sheepishly and shook her head. "Hmm ... " the brunette mused, trying to figure out the reason behind Kagome's mother absense. "Is she sick or something?"

The silent girl nodded her head slowly, almost hesitantly, as if to say the question was half right. "Oh, okay," Sango finally said, taking it as a valid answer. She never was good at charades. "So, do you want us to just pick you up every day then?" Kagome shook her head violently and waved her hands in front of her face, causing a smile to bless the brunette's lips. "Don't be silly, Kags. Its no problem and that will free up your mom."

Kagome slumped in the back seat, sighing in defeat as the car became silent. Miroku added in a perverted comment with Sango every now and then, but it didn't take as long as it would have if she had walked.

The lecher locked his car and the three of them made their way up the main steps into the building. When they entered, the first thing they noticed was a fight had broken out between Kikyo and Inuyasha. "You really believe that girl is more important than me?" the angered female asked the half-demon.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped. Miroku shook his head at the sight.

"I saw you and her yesterday in study hall." Kikyo crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her ex-boyfriend. He was speechless at her accusations and opened his mouth to lash out an insult when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His muscles immediately relaxed and he glanced down to see Kagome staring up at him with her big doe eyes. His body calmed and his anger seemed to dissipate. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Miroku holding Sango back from attacking Kikyo.

The enraged woman's anger only grew when she saw Kagome come into the picture. _This is not how he was supposed to react. Inuyasha should feel guilty about leaving me, not angry at me. _Tears pricked the back of her eyes, but her reputation would not stand for them to fall. They quickly faded as she spun around and quietly receded into the now crowded hallway.

Inuyasha smirked at his friends, watching as Sango slapped Miroku upside the head for touching her rear, before turning his gaze to the woman at his side. Kagome blushed and released her grip, dropping her gaze in embarrassment. She hoped the time they spent together the night before would not change their friendship. At the moment, he seemed to have forgotten about her foolish actions. By this time, Miroku had calmed Sango down and they strode up to Inuyasha.

"Yash, what was that about?" Miroku asked, hoping he wouldn't strike a nerve.

"Keh! How the hell should I know. She just came up to me and started throwing insults at me." He purposefully left out the part about Kikyo being jealous of him and Kagome's friendship. At the thought of this, a blush lightly touched his cheeks.

"Well if that bitch ever decides to come near us again, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind," Sango threatened, fisting her hands at her sides. Miroku smiled, happy not to be the victim of the girl's wrath this time, and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Come, my dear," he proded. "Let's go to class, shall we?" She hit him on the head before stalking to class, ignoring his excuses as he followed her like a lost puppy. Kagome merely shook her head as she and Inuyasha headed to first period.

A/N: Sorry for the wait, but there is chapter six. I was battling with myself whether or not to actually add Sesshomaru into the story. He may come up in a chapter for a brief moment or two down the line, but I've decided not to put him in as a character. After all, this is centered around Kagome, and unless she is actually going to interact with him, he isn't going to be placed in the story. Sorry for disappointing all those Sesshy fans. Anyways, I'm rambling. Hope you guys liked this chapter and please let me know what you think. Thanks!


	7. Making Plans

**Speak**

**Chapter 7: Making Plans**

Time seemed to standstill as Kagome struggled through her second day of school. She hadn't really had a chance to speak to any of her friends, even during lunch. The teachers had been brutal with assigning homework and projects over the weekend, giving her little time for chit-chat. She couldn't understand why the administration would allow such things in the beginning of the year.

Sixth period came around and Kouga once again tried talking to her. Unfortunately for Kagome, he knew her name. Word gets around fast, obviously. Or maybe it was when the teacher checked attendance. Either way, she was screwed.

Throughout the class, Kagome sighed and ignored him. Too bad for her good nature, though. She refused to be rude and nodded her head at what she believed were the appropriate times.

The bell finally rang and the silent girl lunged out of her seat, anxious to get away from the blue-eyed wolf demon. Taking a few steps out the door, she mentally groaned as Kouga caught up to her. "Why'd you leave so fast, Kags?" he called, coming to walk beside her. She hated the nickname he had given her, preferring only her friends to call her that. "Do you need to be somewhere?" His voice held a flirtatious tint, but it had no effect what so ever on the brown-eyed girl beside him.

This shocked the football player. His charming smile and soothing voice always worked on every other girl, so why was Kagome different? His eyes narrowed, determined to find out. Grabbing her arm, he gently pushed her up against a row of lockers. Students passed by, but were too absorbed in their own thoughts to take notice. The few that did had come accustomed to Kouga's behavior and believed the raven-haired woman was just another one of his girlfriends.

Worry flashed across Kagome's angelic visage as she tried to tug out of his grip. The tan boy leaned one hand against the lockers, preventing her escape. "Now, Kagome," he breathed. "Tell me why you won't go out with me? You haven't even talked to me yet. Are you just playing hard to get?" He inched his face closer to hers, a sly smile spreading across his lips. His voice lowered to a whisper as he continued to talk to her, trying to encourage the frightened girl to speak.

Kagome smiled politely and tried unsuccessfully to move her body out from beneath him. She silently begged him to go away; to leave her alone. _Inuyasha ... _she thought, not realizing why she had called out his name.

As if he heard her, the silver haired half-demon came through one of the classroom doors and into the hallway. "What do you think you're doing, ya mangy wolf?" Anger resided in the man's voice as he watched Kouga rub his fingers up and down Kagome's arm in an alluring manner. A growl sounded from his throat before he took his hand and pushed him off of her. Seeing her chance, Kagome fled from the wolf demon's reach and cowered behind Inuyasha's towering form.

"What's it to you, mutt-face? This is none of your business." His smile vanished from his lips and his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"I'm making it my business," Inuyasha retaliated, glowering at the football player and readying himself for a fight. A gentle tug on his shirt sent his eyes downward to the girl beside him. Like this morning, he felt all fury dissipate as her eyes pleaded with him. "Come on, Kagome," he said softly, not wanting to upset her further. He swung his gaze to the angered wolf before him. "We have to get to class."

With that, the golden-eyed man put his hand on the middle of her back and led her down the almost deserted hallway to their classroom. Kouga's insults and rage could be heard behind them as he threatened them with everything in the book. Kagome glanced up at her savior, giving him one of her famous thank-you smiles. He returned the gesture and guided her towards their classroom, where they promptly took their seats.

"You alright, Kags?" the half-demon asked after a few minutes of silence. She nodded slightly, casting her eyes to the homework on her desk. "Don't let that bastard get to you. He thinks whatever he wants is what he's gonna to get." That made her smile and Inuyasha visibly relaxed.

She opened up her math book and began reading over the twenty problems they had to complete before Monday. It all seemed like a big mess to her and she squinted her eyes, reading over the instructions and the numbers. It looked like giberash to her.

"Math," Inuyasha suddenly stated, glancing up from his own work. "Keh, don't know why they bother to teach it. Not gonna use it anyways." She looked at him with amusement. He scooted closer to see her blank sheet of paper and the numerous problems she still had to complete. "Whose your teacher? Totosai?" When he received an affirmative nod, he shook his head and scoffed. "That old man would forget his own head if it weren't attached. Can't believe he's still around."

He shared a humorous story with her, involving Totosai, paper, and a vending machine. After he laughed and watched her smile brighten, he took it upon himself to work with her on the homework, seeing as how he took Geometry the year before. Because of her transfer, Kagome had to take some easier classes in order to meet the requirements for graduation.

Kikyo sat in the back of the room with Naraku. Envy flowed off her body in waves, although her posture gave no hint to her inner turmoil. She observed the new student and her ex-boyfriend as he quietly talked about algebraic expressions and obtuse angles. Although the girl resembled her, Kikyo could only see the flaws; her cheekbones too high, her fingers too thin, and her hair without shine. Add that to her heartache, and you've got yourself a very jealous teenage girl. Her cold eyes narrowed with each word that slipped from Inuyasha's lips.

"Don't worry," Naraku whispered. "Even with the little incident this morning, we can still proceed with our plan." He gave Kikyo a coy grin as the bell rang.

Inuyasha and Kagome left the classroom together and made it to her locker. Without them even realizing it, her locker had become the meeting place for them after school let out. "Hey, Kags," Sango greeted cheerfully as she walked up to them. Miroku ambled up behind her, wearing his infamous face mark. Amused by the red hand print even after two days of seeing it, Kagome smiled.

"Hey," Inuyasha replied, ignoring the lecherous grin on his friend's face. "What's up?"

"Actually," the brunette said, turning her attention to Kagome. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with us tonight? The boys and me usually go to Yash's house, swim and watch a few movies. We're always too tired to go home so we just crash at his place. Want to come?" The silent girl seemed to ponder the question for a moment.

Inuyasha watched her anxiously, feeling his breath halt in his throat and his heart miss a beat. When she gave a slight nod, he released a sigh. "Alright!" Sango shouted, clasping her hands together and smiling. Turning her attention back to the boys, it faltered. "I mean, if that's okay with you guys."

Miroku shrugged his shoulders, throwing her a look of indifference, all the while hoping she hadn't caught him staring at her bottom. "Keh, whatever," the half-demon said.

The athletic female, on the other hand, was ecstatic. "Great!" she screamed, throwing her arms around her new friend and bringing her into a tight hug. After a moment of trying to take the breath from the poor girl's lungs, Sango released her and Kagome inhaled a deep breath. For a moment, she had been briefly deprived of oxygen. "We'll just _have_ to go shopping!" The dark haired girl winced at her high pitched voice. Sango glanced at the boys. "You want to come?"

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a look. They knew what would happen if you put Sango and shopping together: ultimate destruction. They turned back to the hyper-active teen. "Uh ... actually, Sesshomaru needs help moving some things around," Inuyasha lied.

"And Yash needs my help," Miroku chimed in. He gave her a sheepish grin as he fibbed through his teeth.

She knew they were lying, but waved it aside, too happy to care. "Okay, fine then. Kagome and I will go. Miroku, do you mind if I borrow your car?"

The man in question stared at her, the smile vanishing from his lips. "You think I'm going to let you borrow my brand new car?" He crossed his arms and shook his head in defiance. Miroku sternly chastised everyone about his car, and rarely let another touch it, let alone drive it. Sango batted her eyes and gave him the puppy dog pout. He seemed to strain under her gaze and, after a moment, he finally caved, dropping the keys into Sango's waiting hands. "Oh, alright, but there better not be a scratch on it."

She barely heard him as she grabbed her friend's hand and dragged her towards the exit. "Come on, Kags, we're going to have so much fun!" The dark haired girl gave a pleading look to the boys before the school doors slammed behind them.

Inuyasha glanced at his lecherous friend. "You are such a weakling." He crossed his arms and headed in the direction of the girls.

"What? Inuyasha, you should have seen the look she gave me. How could I resist?" Miroku trailed after him, offering up a bunch of poor excuses.

* * *

"How about this?" Sango asked, throwing another swimsuit in Kagome's direction. After a long car ride of Sango's chipper voice and a half-hour of shopping, the silent girl was already feeling the strain. Earlier, the brunette had asked if she had a swim suit. Shaking her head, Kagome didn't realize the girl would go ballistic. _I can't do this ... _she thought as Sango pointed out another two-piece. Her eyes flickered to her arms before returning to the racks of colorful swim attire. She couldn't let her new friends see the burns; they haven't had enough time to heal.

Sango, on the other hand, was getting frustrated. Either Kagome was very picky or she didn't want to try anything on. Voting for the latter, she shoved an ocean blue, halter two-piece into Kagome's hands. "Go try it on. Now." The raven-haired beauty stared at Sango, worry crossing her angelic features.

The athletic student stood her ground. When Kagome didn't move, Sango dragged her to the dressing rooms. She shoved her in and shut the door, leaning against it so she couldn't escape. "I'm not letting you out until you try that on." Kagome pushed against the door, but soon found her efforts futile as her captor dug her heels into the carpet for more support.

The tortured girl sighed in defeat. She knew the time would come sooner or later; she had just hoped it would have been later. _Well, I might as well get this over with. _Kagome slowly changed, taking as much time as she could, still unsure of what Sango's reaction would be. No one outside her family had seen the injuries.

When she finished, she lightly tapped the stall door. Sango, taking this as Kagome's white flag of defeat, gladly opened the door. "See, now that wasn't too hard ..." Her train of thought was lost. What greeted her chestnut orbs marked her speechless.

A/N: There was chapter seven. Hope you liked and please leave a review. Chapter nine is really going to get things moving so look forward to that. Thanks for reading!

**New poll up!**


	8. Swimsuit Fear

**Speak**

**Chapter 8: Swimsuit Fear**

"Oh my ... " Sango mumbled, her eyes glancing over the girl before her. She saw the burn marks covering her pale body, noticed the splotches of red and brown intertwining with her fair skin. Scars marred her flesh where they would never heal. "Kags, you look amazing!" she finally said, ignoring the faults and taking a look at her slender body and toned frame.

Kagome stood in the dressing room, peering at the ground in embarrassment. Her head snapped up at Sango's statement, trying to grasp what the brunette said. She didn't know what kind of reaction she expected, but this certainly wasn't it.

The athletic female met her friend's gaze. "You should stop wearing sweats all the time. Your body is absolutely gorgeous!" She smiled to try and persuade Kagome that there wasn't any shame in having injuries such as hers. She thought it better not to ask about them now, though, thinking it may cause the girl some unwanted or painful memories.

The dark haired woman self consciously blushed and placed a hand over one of the scars on her forearm. Sango didn't seem to notice. "You have to buy this! Blue is definitely your color!" Kagome stared wide eyed while shaking her head. She didn't have any money. With her mother the only one working now, and the money from her father's death gone to her medical bills, they could barely afford the house, let alone extra clothes.

Sango stared at her, dumbfounded, before she caught on. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'll buy it for you." Kagome shook her head to protest, trying to refuse her offer. She merely waved it aside. "Just think of it as a gift for ... I don't know, an early birthday present. Or belated, whenever your birthday was." She giggled at her own comment before closing the stall, allowing Kagome to dress.

* * *

The two women stopped by Kagome's house on the way back so she could drop off her school supplies and inform her mother on where she was going. About five minutes later, Kagome stepped out of the tiny abode, a goodbye from her mom following. The slender teen hopped into Miroku's car as they sped off to Inuyasha's house.

"So, tell me, Kagome," Sango asked as a blur of green passed by the windows. "What kind of movies do you like?" She glanced over at the girl before returning her gaze to the road. "Scary? Romance? Action?" When she received a nod at all three of them, she laughed. "I'm guessing you like almost anything?" Kagome smiled in response, earning another chuckle from her friend.

The girls pulled up in front of Inuyasha's house ... well, to Inuyasha it was a house. At least, that's what he called it. As Sango eased the car up a stone pathway, Kagome noticed the mansion towering before them. Her jaw dropped slightly in awe as she took in the appearance. The guard waved them through, recognizing Sango, and the black iron gates opened to reveal a winding driveway.

It swerved up to the front door and made a tight circle. In the middle, a grey fountain spurted a clear stream of water into the air. Kagome watched as the droplets splattered into the clear pond beneath, sparkling in the afternoon sun.

The lawn held a perfect shade of green and trees littered the yard in just a way, making it beautiful. Birds could be heard chirping from a bird house hanging from a lower branch and a splash came from a bird bath just below it.

The 'house' was enormous and made of white brick, reflecting sunlight onto the grass. The roof was dark, almost black, and windows were portrayed diligently. A few balconies could be seen off to the right and left, connected to what Kagome assumed were bedrooms. The front doors were a light shade of grey; cold but welcoming at the same time.

Kagome and Sango exited the car after the brunette parked it behind Inuyasha's red Mercedes. The walked up the stone steps to the door and Sango entered without knocking, pulling the awe-struck girl along behind her.

The dark haired woman was amazed by the inside just as much as the outside. The ceilings reached high into the house and a spiraling staircase stood off to the left. Stone tiles coated the floor and led into the kitchen off to the right. The athletic teen had walked ahead of her, steering off to the left, leaving Kagome to desperately keep up with her new friend, all the while gazing at her surroundings.

"There's the kitchen," Sango said as they passed a room containing several high-tech appliances and a table. "And there's the bathroom. Over there is the study; only Sesshomaru uses that. Oh and there's ..." Kagome tried to follow her finger as it continued to point to various rooms. She still had yet to figure out who this Sesshomaru was, but decided it was probably just a member of Inuyasha's family.

Sango finally halted and swung open a pair of double doors. Inside the room, plush white carpet blanketed the floor. Miroku and Inuyasha were leaning against one of the walls, drinking what looked to be some kind of pop. The lecherous teen smiled and waved as he set down his drink. Inuyasha had his back to the girls, so when he saw Miroku grinning like an idiot, he knew the girls had arrived and set down his glass to greet them as well.

"Hey," Miroku said, coming to stand before them. "How are you lovely ladies?"

"Can it, you lecher!" Sango yelled, hitting him upside the head. Kagome, ignoring the little spat between her friends, glanced to her left to see glass doors leading to the backyard. She stumbled closer, gazing hungrily at what was on the other side.

Inuyasha took notice of her interest. "You can go out there, if you want." He opened the doors, inviting everyone outside. She waited until the others stepped out first before following and looking at the pool before her. The cerulean waters slightly rippled with the breeze and the sign on the side read to be twelve feet.

Kagome bent down and swept her hand over the cool liquid. A perfect eighty-five degrees. She smiled and glanced back at her friends, blushing under Inuyasha's gaze. She stood up and silently scolded herself for her strange behavior. Sango laughed at the sight before Kagome shot her a look.

Miroku cringed, immediately recognizing it as one of Sango's death glares. "I think she's been hanging around Sango a little too much," he whispered to Inuyasha as they watched the exchange.

"Keh," the half-demon responded as he left to retrieve some towels for the group.

"Come on, Kags," Sango urged her, the playful anger subsiding from Kagome's face. "Let's go change into our suits." The brown-eyed girl winced at the thought, but followed her none the less. Miroku was left standing there alone and, after a moment, he went off to find Inuyasha.

The brunette showed the silent girl the way to the bathroom and told her to get changed. When Kagome locked the door behind her, Sango rushed back to the pool to find the boys. "Hey, you guys," she said, trying to catch her breath from the short run.

Inuyasha and Miroku eyed her suspiciously, already in their swim trunks. When they didn't say anything, she continued. "When I took Kags shopping to buy a swimsuit, she came out of the changing room and you would never believe what I saw. Her body is covered in burn marks." Their brows immediately furrowed and their eyes filled with curiosity. "I mean, they look as if they're healing, but don't say anything about the. I don't want her to get hurt or scared."

"Wait, why does she have those injuries?" Miroku asked, setting down his towel. Inuyasha perked up his ears to listen and crossed his arms.

Sango shook her head, glancing nervously over her shoulder. "I have no idea. But whatever it is, don't ask her about it."

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted, pretending not to care about Sango's little speech. He set down his towel and proceeded to take off his shirt.

"Anything for you, my dear," Miroku said, smiling lecherously.

"Watch it," she grounded out with a scowl before running back to the bathroom, hoping Kagome hadn't finished.

The raven-haired beauty took her time as she changed and when she stepped out, Sango was standing there with a smile, her breaths slightly labored. Kagome looked confused for a moment, but was only rushed out into the hallway so Sango could take her time in the bathroom. She leaned against the wall opposite the door, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole. _I don't know if I can do this ... _she thought anxiously. Besides her family, no one had seen her scars. Recalling how Sango acted as if they weren't even there, she believed the girl was only being nice. Then her thoughts flickered to a certain half-demon. _What will Inuyasha say?_ She sighed. Could the day get any worse?

Just then, Sango made her appearance. She wore a pink two-piece, mirroring Kagome's. "Come on, let's go." The brunette tugged on the silent girl's hand, leading her towards the pool, but Kagome wouldn't budge. "What's the matter, Kags?" Sango asked as she glanced back at her friend's terrified state.

Her chestnut eyes filled with fear and she shook her head. Sango smiled in understanding and turned to face her. "It's okay, Kagome, I'm right here." The athletic teen gave her a sympathetic look and squeezed her hand for comfort. She pulled on Kagome's hand once more and this time, she willingly followed.

A/N: Okay, I know its a bit short and kind of a filler, but I had to put it in. Adding it to the next chapter would be too long. But I promise to update soon. Don't I always? Thanks for reading and please review to let me know what you think of this chapter.

**New poll up!**


	9. Poolside Laughter

A/N: Okay, so thank goodness the technical glitch has been fixed. I planned on updating this on Sunday, but as you can see, I wasn't able too. And do not fear, looking back at the reviews I see how much of a let down the last chapter was, but this is the chapter you were expecting.

**Speak**

**Chapter 9: Poolside Laughter**

Inuyasha and Miroku waited by the pool for the girls' return. The dark-haired boy had one of his mischievous grins on his face and kept glancing at the doorway Sango and Kagome would make their appearance. Inuyasha, knowing his friend's lecherous thoughts, hit him upside the head.

"Ow!" he yelped, instantly rubbing the offended area. "What was that for?" The half-demon grunted and folded his t-shirt before putting it aside. Miroku glared at him and did the same, showing off their toned muscles and tight abs.

Sango walked through the archway to find the boys glancing in opposite directions with their arms crossed. She giggled at the sight. "Don't kill each other now." This immediately alerted them to her presence and they whipped their heads around to see who laughed at them.

As expected, the lecher's mouth dropped. He would have been staring like a deranged idiot if it was any beautiful woman standing before him in a two-piece bathing suit. The brunette blushed and glowered at him, quite used to his stares whenever the trio went for a swim. "Watch yourself, Miroku," she warned before glancing behind her to see Kagome hadn't followed. She sighed. "Come on, Kags, you look great." When her words were met with silence, the anger dissipated from Sango's face, replaced by confusion and a friendly smile. "Hold on, you guys, I'll go get her." She vanished around the corner inside the house.

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a curious glance. "Is it really that bad?" Miroku asked, only receiving a glare in response. He winced under Inuyasha's heated gaze and turned his attention back to the doorway.

After a few moments of mumbled words from Sango's pep talk, the girls emerged. Kagome wore a scowl on her face and a small blush of embarrassment dusted her cheeks. "Its alright," Sango whispered to her, giving her words of encouragement. "You look amazing."

When they reached the grass outside, the brunette pulled the silent girl up beside her so she could be seen. Miroku's eyes widened a fraction before he remembered Sango's words and his face faded into indifference. "My goodness, Kagome. You must stop hiding your beauty under such baggy clothing. You look absolutely stunning!" he complimented, while taking her hands in his and smiling.

"Miroku," Sango cautioned, her gaze flaring as he immediately dropped Kagome's hands and backed up to the edge of the pool.

"My dear," he said, thinking of some excuse to get him out of the mess.

She fisted her hands at her sides and stalked towards him, smiling wickedly at the plan forming in her mind. "Save it," she spat, before throwing all her strength into her hands and pushed him into the pool. She put her arms up to block herself from the sprays of water that came from his splash, laughing lightly at the pay back for his bad habits.

"Sango!" Miroku yelled in annoyance, grabbing the attention of both Inuyasha and Kagome, who had been too preoccupied staring at one another. Their faces turned crimson as they whipped their gazes away from each other and concentrated on Sango and Miroku's predicament.

"That's what ya get, lecher!" the half-demon yelled with a smirk, crossing his arms. He had noticed the scars and burns Sango spoke of that littered Kagome's pale skin. He knew what it was like to be stared at and teased because of his family background. His childhood was not the best, filled with hatred and taunting from other kids about his half-demon blood. So he held back his gruff comments he would usually say, knowing it would only cause Kagome tears. He was no good at handling girls when they were crying.

Thats when he heard it. The most beautiful sound ever to grace his ears. His amber eyes followed the direction his ears swiveled to see Kagome clutching her stomach with one hand and her other hand was over her mouth, trying to conceal the smile underneath.

When she calmed her giggles, Inuyasha spoke up, still in a daze. "Kagome ... did you ... did you just laugh?" All eyes turned to her as crimson flushed her cheeks with embarrassment.

Sango, shocked at the sound of her voice, saw she was uncomfortable and used this opportunity to play a trick on her half-demon friend. "Hey, Kags," she called, jogging to stand by her new friend. She whispered a few words into Kagome's ear, making sure to steer clear of Inuyasha's keen sense of hearing. The silent girl blushed and looked at her, shaking her head furiously at the plan Sango had thought up. "Come on," she begged quietly. "I never get to do anything like this and he won't expect it coming from you."

Kagome seemed to think about it for a few minutes, her stronghold wavering under Sango's pleading gaze. Finally, she sighed and nodded her head slightly. "Yes!" Sango shouted, fisting her hand into the air and grabbing the boys' attention. Kagome smiled, glad to see her friend so happy, and turned her eyes to the curious half-demon near the edge of the pool.

He gulped at the michevious look in her eyes and the shy smile upon her lips. "Kagome ... ?" he spoke, questioning the way she walked seductively towards him, causing his feet to move backwards and skim the edge of the pool. He could feel her breath on his skin as she came closer, smiling up at him innocently, and clasping her hands behind her back. His face reddened as he stood there, confused by her antics. Suddenly, quicker then his gaze could follow, her hands appeared and gave him a soft shove, sending him off balance and falling into the watery depths of the pool.

A yell came from Inuyasha's lips, cut off by a big splash as he dove underwater. Kagome and Sango stared down at the boys in the pool, both of them smirking in victory.

"Oh, it's on," Miroku hollered as he climbed out of the pool. Sango watched him slowly step towards her, an evil glint in his eyes and a grin on his lips.

Recognition dawned on her face. "No, wait, Miroku. I was only kidding!" She waved her arms frantically before turning around and trying to evade his grasp. He was too quick, though, and grabbed her from behind, slinging her over his shoulder.

"Ladies first," he said, stepping closer to the edge of the pool. Sango scratched and pounded against his back, trying to clutch onto something, but was to no avail. He somehow managed to stay free from her grip and put his hands around her waist. The brunette panicked, pleading with him as she glanced beneath her at the pool, but he showed no mercy and threw her into the watery depths.

Sango's shriek pierced the sky, followed by a big splash, splattering Miroku and the side of the pool. Kagome giggled softly at her friend's predicament and turned her attention away to be met with Inuyasha's amber eyes. He had an evil grin on his face and she immediately knew what he was planning. Throwing her hands up in the air and taking a few steps back, she tried the same tactic Sango had. But when she saw waving her hands wasn't getting her anywhere, she opted for running around him.

This took the half-demon by surprise, but he quickly caught on. "So, that's how its gonna be?" He began to chase her, but only allowed himself to get an arm's length away before slowing down. Kagome ran around the edge of the pool, careful not to slip on the wet pavement. After a few moments, Inuyasha easily caught up to her and grabbed her by the waist while he slowed to a stop. She dangled in his arms as he smirked, walking over to the edge of the pool.

Pushing her arms against his thigh, she tried desperately to keep herself out of the water, but it had little effect. He rolled his eyes and threw her in, giving her no time to fight back. A splash sounded and Sango swam over to her friend, laughing in spite of being beaten. "Are you okay, Kags?" she asked as the dark-haired girl surfaced and spit out a mouthful of water. She received a smile in return and laughed, before a wave crashed into her, courtesy of Miroku and Inuyasha's cannon balls.

"Miroku!" she yelled, smiling at the man as he swam towards her. "Lay off already! You won, you won!" He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, not minding that she struggled relentlessly against his grip.

"My dear," he said, holding her close to his chest. "I always win, because you love me too much to let me lose." She glared at him, but he only chuckled, releasing her and dipping underwater, swimming the length of the pool.

"Oh, you ... !" Sango growled, unable to come up with a decent threat. "One of these days, Miroku, one of these days ... "

The foursome continued to joke around and swim until the sun turned golden as it set in the horizon. Sango finally called it quits and climbed out of the pool. She walked over to a nearby table and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her athletic frame and squeezing the water out of her hair. Kagome quickly followed with a smile. Ever since their shopping trip earlier that day, the girls had steadily grown closer and appeared as if they had been best friends forever. Sango threw her a towel and they began to dry off before proceeding indoors.

"Hold on," Inuyasha called, dunking Miroku's head underwater and quickly leaping out of the pool, leaving the lecher behind.

Miroku surfaced and spit out a mouthful of water, watching as they walked inside. "Hey! Wait for me!" he shouted, scrambling out of the water after them. He seized a towel and ran inside to catch up with his so called friends.

A/N: I hope that chapter was much more eventful and exciting then the last one. I'm sorry for taking so long, but if you read the author's note up top, it was out of my control. Hope you liked and please review.

**New poll up!**


	10. Flames of Horror

**Speak**

**Chapter 10: Flames of Horror**

"I say we watch this one," Sango vouched, picking up a romance movie.

Miroku grinned. "Dear Sango, the passion and fiery loved shared between two people is a beautiful thing. Even a story such as this," he said, gesturing towards the cover. It was a remake of Romeo and Juliet in a modern day tale, telling the story of two star-crossed lovers destined to die in each others arms. The dark-haired boy put a hand over his heart as his other hand reached towards the ceiling. "'But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East and Juliet is the sun! Arise fair sun and kill the envious m-'" A loud smack resounded through the room, cutting off Miroku's speech.

Sango glared at him dangerously. "Watch yourself," she warned bitterly, placing the movie back on the shelf. She crossed her arms and leaned back on the couch, trying to ignore the stream of words coming from the man's mouth.

"But Sango," he begged, kneeling before her in a respectful manner. "I only wish to express my feelings towards you in the words of Shakespeare, as he was the god of romance."

"Miroku!" the brunette growled, fisting her hands at her side and threatening to knock him unconscious. "Say one more word ... "

He gulped and threw up his hands defensively. Even the perverted boy knew when to quit and having Sango angry at him was not on his wish list. A sheepish smile flitted across his lips as he retreated to sitting next to her. The girl's eyes followed his movements, daring him to do something he would regret.

Inuyasha watched from the sidelines and Kagome couldn't help but smile. She felt as if she were part of this small group of friends now. Even though they had only been together for a few days, she knew more about them then any of her friends at her old school. "Idiot," the half-demon mumbled under his breath as he watched Miroku's lame attempt at romance. "When is he gonna learn?"

He knelt down and searched through the various movies he had acquired over the years and finally settled on one. "Oh no!" Sango intercepted, grabbing the disk before he could slip it into the DVD player. "We are _not_ watching Friday the 13th. Don't you remember what happened last time?"

Miroku laughed behind her, receiving a glare from the brunette. "Oh, right," Inuyasha sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in exasperation. When he stole a glance at Kagome's confused gaze, he decided to clue her in on the joke. "You see, Sango has some problems when it comes to really scary flicks. Turns out there's a monster in her closet." He smirked and dodged the oncoming pillow as his attacker crossed her arms and glared at him.

"That was years ago!" she complained, feeling the burn in her cheeks from embarrassment.

Miroku came up beside her and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Last time you watched a scary movie, you were only here with Inuyasha and had been twelve at the time. You still aren't scared of monsters under the bed, now are you?" He gave her a sympathetic smile.

"It was the closet," she mumbled half-heartily, turning away from the man at her side. After a moment of hesitation, she plopped down on the couch with a huff. "You better not try anything, Miroku," she said dangerously as he sat down beside her. He smiled to show he was there for no harm and cautiously seated himself furthest away from her.

Kagome watched in amusement and couldn't help but giggle at her friends' strange behavior. All eyes turned her once more as the group wasn't yet accustomed to her rare laughs and secret smiles. Inuyasha gulped, the sound of her voice ringing in his ears.

Sango's eyes darted between the boys and her silent friend and decided some action was in order. "Hey, Kags, why don't we go change?" she suggested, getting up from the couch and taking her friend's hand. She received a thankful smile in response and she led the way towards the bathroom. Not comfortable with bringing up the subject of Kagome's secret, the brunette decided against asking her about it. After all, she had a feeling that the girl would speak to them when she was ready.

Moments later, Sango emerged from the bathroom clothed in a pink silk pair of shorts and a tank top. "Go ahead, Kags, your turn." The silent girl smiled and proceeded into the small room before she was stopped. "Wait, you're not wearing those are you?" The brunette pointed to the pair of sweats in her hands. The expression on her face made Sango realize that her friend only brought her sweats and a swimsuit. "Here, I have an extra pair." Kagome gave her questioning looks as to why she had an extra pair in the first place, but she was simply ignored.

She quickly swapped the sweats for the pajamas. They were similar to Sango's, but instead held a deep green color. The dark-haired maiden self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest, not used to the sudden revealing of her skin. Hesitantly, Kagome followed her friend and they set their things near Sango's duffel bag before returning to the television room.

The stone tiles were cold beneath Kagome's bare feet as she followed the brunette through the hallway and into the living room. A warm, brown carpet met her as she entered, noticing the boys already waiting for their arrival. A large plasma screen television sat at the far end of the room, accompanied by a love seat. Perpendicular to the couch sat another sofa and a recliner stood alone in the corner. Dark, purple curtains were drawn against the windows, creating semi-darkness. It was, as Inuyasha liked to call it, a home movie theater. Miroku and Sango, having been here many times before, seemed unfazed by the amazement of the room.

The silver-haired man sat on the love seat directly in front of the plasma TV. Cautiously, Sango sat down next to Miroku, eyeing him warily and watching his every movement. "What?" he mumbled to her, feigning innocence concerning his lecherous behavior. She only shook her head and turned her attention to the screen.

"If you try anything," she whispered in the dark. "I'll throw you to the ground before you can blink." The perverted boy faked a look of fear before smiling in amusement. Kagome sighed and noticed the only available seat was next to Inuyasha. No way was she going to sit alone during a scary movie. She plopped down next to the half-demon and smiled at him, waiting for him to start the film. He broke his gaze from hers and clicked play.

* * *

A shriek echoed through the house as Sango buried her face into the pillow placed on her lap. Miroku tried to put his arm around her to quell her fears, but it was to no avail as she gave him a slap in the face, her eyes never leaving the screen.

Frightened, Kagome grabbed the closest thing to her, burying her face into the red fabric and closing her eyes. When the sounds from the movie calmed, giving her warning that there was no more blood and gore, she glanced at the screen and then down to what she held between her fingers. It was Inuyasha's shirt.

She immediately drew away, her face turning crimson at her actions. He didn't seem to mind though and smirked at the flustered look on her face. The rest of the movie continued like that, with a few slaps sounding in between. As the film ended, the lights automatically began to brighten, allowing everyone's eyes time to slowly adjust. Kagome's heart still pounded from the final scene, and she clutched her chest, hoping to calm it.

Although she wasn't a huge fan of gory movies, she rather liked getting the shit scared out of her every now and then. But she couldn't help the ache in her heart from the memories of that fateful night not too long ago. She could remember the overwhelming fear and heart-wrenching pain that she felt, knowing their was nothing she could do to help. She shuddered at the thought.

"Watch out, Kagome," Inuyasha said, pulling her to her feet. She went to stand by Sango, watching as him and Miroku removed the cushions and pulled the love seats out into full sized beds. The brunette squeezed her shoulder gently as a sign of affection before treading to the opposite side of the room to retrieve blankets, pillows, and a couple of sleeping bags.

When she came back, she immediately began to explain the procedure, already accustomed to Kagome's constant confusion. "You see, we'll each take the beds," she said, placing the blankets and pillows on the two mattresses. "The boys will get the floor." She chuckled in amusement, memories of past Friday nights flashing through her mind. Kagome didn't understand as to why the boys couldn't share one and the girls couldn't share one, but seeing as how she had already made a fool out of herself today, she didn't want to push it.

After the beds were prepped, Inuyasha glanced at the clock above the television. "Hey guys, want to get some snacks and watch another movie?"

"Sure," Miroku agreed, getting nods of approval from the girls. They left to fetch some snacks, leaving Sango and Kagome alone in the living room.

The brunette began to rummage through the movies. "Since the boys chose a scary one, we should get to pick out the next one." Her eyes held a mischievous gleam as she held up a chick flick. Kagome smiled at her friend's devious plan and held back a giggle. Popping the movie in, Sango flicked to the main menu. The girls sat in their own beds and waited until the guys finally walked in.

"Hell no," Inuyasha protested as he saw House Bunnyon the screen. "We are not watching this." Miroku sighed, already knowing the battle had been lost. Sango smirked and Kagome let out a giggle at the boys' reaction. Everyone immediately turned their heads in her direction. Grabbing the remote off the end table, she hit play. The lights dimmed and the blush dusting Kagome's cheeks was hidden in the darkness as Inuyasha and Miroku took their places on the floor.

By the end of the movie, Kagome had fallen asleep, quite worn out from the day's events. After all, she had never done so much in a single day since the accident and it had really tuckered her out. "That's the last time I let girls pick out a movie," Inuyasha whispered, sensing Kagome's steady breathing. Sango's laughter reverberated in the semi-darkness. The half-demon gathered up all the empty cups and dishes, depositing them in the kitchen across the hall. When he returned, he shut off the lights. Sango and Miroku were already curled up, trying to be swept off to dreamland. The clock struck one in the morning and the group knew they needed energy for the following day.

Unnoticed by the trio, Kagome's face twisted in pain as she dreamt. A reoccuring dream greeted each night she began to forget the painful memories.

_Kagome ran down a deserted hallway. She didn't know where she was, but flames leapt all around her, dancing in front of her as if to mock her. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead and her body screamed for her to stop, for her to rest. But she couldn't. Her mind wouldn't allow her too, so she kept running. _

_A black figure appeared before her. As she closed the distance between them, his face lit up from the fire's glow. "Dad?" she questioned, willing her legs to run faster._

_His eyes filled with remorse and his face clouded over with desolation. "Why didn't you save me, Kagome?" His voice floated over to her through the surrounding smoke. Her eyes began to tear, irritated from the contact with the thick mist. But she didn't blink, because she knew if she did, he would disappear and she would be left alone. _

_"I'm sorry, dad! I tried, I tried so hard!" He drew away from her, backing up into the darkness beyond the flames. She pushed herself to run faster, to be able to grasp her father and keep him there. She ran until her body numbed and then finally, her legs gave out and she slowly fell to the ground. _

_She couldn't move, she couldn't see, all she could do was breathe. Breathe in the smoke that was like oxygen for her. She felt the heat of the flames as they surrounded her. She tried to scream out in pain as they touched her, searing her skin, but she found she had no voice. All she had left was her mind and that was slowly fading ..._

Inuyasha woke up in the middle of the night by small whimpers. He groggily glanced over at the clock, noting it was three in the morning. Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, he sat up and took in the familiar surroundings. Sango was spread out, taking up the entire bed, and Miroku slept peacefully, curled up in the blankets as he snored lightly. They were unable to hear the soft cry and Inuyasha didn't blame them. Even with his sensitive ears, the half-demon could barely detect it. He stood up from his make-shift bed and tried to follow the sound.

At first, he didn't realize where it came from, but soon found Kagome at the source. Her face was consumed by pain and sweat adorned her pale figure. He leaned down to hear what she was mumbling. "Dad," she repeated over and over again. It was faint, but he could hear the sorrow in her voice. It sounded as if an angel was crying.

"Kagome," he whispered, lightly shoving her arm in an attempt to wake her. "Kagome, wake up." She continued to toss and turn in her sleep, her heartache becoming evident in his eyes. Inuyasha sat on her bed and wrapped her into his arms. "Kagome," he repeated to no avail. She thrashed, struggling to get free. He held fast, though, and tried to calm the shaking girl. Her voice rose as she continued to call for her dad.

Finally, after a moment, Kagome opened her eyes and saw a pair of golden spheres staring down at her with concern. Instantly recognizing it to be her half-demon friend, she grabbed his shirt and began to cry into it, no longer caring if she made a fool of herself.

Inuyasha's heart lurched as he felt her tears soak into his shirt. He gently caressed her arm, trying to quiet her troubled nerves. After a few minutes, her tears slackened to whimpers and sniffles. "Its okay, Kags," he whispered soothingly. "It was only a dream." He set her back on the bed, noting how her eyes widened with hurt and fear, her head shaking slightly at his words. Confusion crossed his eyes, but it quickly fled, knowing it wouldn't do any good to interrogate her now. He gave her a reassuring smirk and began to go back to where his bed lay. A soft tug on his wrist prevented him from doing so.

He glanced back to see Kagome looked up at him, a light blush resting upon her cheeks. Her eyes shifted to the spot next to her, silently begging him to stay. Seeing how scared she seemed and hearing her heart pound furiously in her chest ... an overwhelming emotion of protectiveness came over him and he nodded his head slighlty in agreement.

The silver-haired boy lay down on the bed beside her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him and snuggle into his chest. He seemed surprise for a moment, but slowly relaxed under Kagome's touch and embraced her in return. He pulled the blanket up around her, making sure to keep her warm as the air conditioner blew cool air into the room.

Soon, the broken girl fell into a dreamless slumber, leaving Inuyasha to his thoughts. What could have caused her so much fear? Whatever happened in her dream had a huge impact on her life, he could tell. His senses picked up her scent of vanilla and lilac and buried his nose into her hair. It calmed his racing thoughts until he felt his heart slow, bringing him into a peaceful sleep.

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long to come out. I planned on having it out yesterday, but things came up and I was unable to finish editing. In this chapter we got a glimpse at Kagome's past and she spoke for the first time. Hope it keeps you interested because it won't be much longer before she begins speaking. Look forward to that. Anyways, please leave a review. I'll start editing the next chapter asap!

**Please take my poll and vote up to 5. Otherwise I can't start on the next story. **


	11. Bonding

**Speak**

**Chapter 11: Bonding**

Sunlight forced its way through the closed curtains and wrapped around the four sleeping figures scattered about the room. The floor lay empty as the covers across the pull-out beds were tangled within themselves. A couple occupied each bed, snuggling further into the warmth of their companion, their breaths even and serene. If it hadn't been for the sunlight, they probably would have slept through most of the day.

Kagome squinted her eyes, hoping the sunlight would retreat and give her a few more hours of darkness. Alas, the sun did not abide by her wishes and continued to rouse her sleeping frame. Finally, without the ability to fall back to dreamland, she opened her eyes and was met with red fabric, that she had somehow wrapped her fists into the night before. Warm breath caressed her face, gently gliding through her hair and sending a shiver to her core. Strong arms were set softly upon her waist, limp in sleep.

Startled by her predicament, the silent girl glanced up to see her half-demon friend. His eyes were closed and the ears atop his head twitched with the attention. His face was so peaceful, no longer sporting his ever present scowl or furrowed brows. Unable to control herself, she softly swept his bangs off of his face, touching her cool hand to his cheek as she traced her fingers down his jaw line.

Snapping out of her mesmerized state, Kagome quickly retreated her hand, blushing mad at what she had just done. Luckily, Inuyasha had not awoken from her ministrations. She was thankful, or else she would be in quite the awkward situation. With a sigh, she placed her hand beside her and traced invisible pictures on his chest, trying to remember what had happened the night before. Obviously, it wasn't often she woke up in a man's arms, the bed sheets tangled about them.

When the memories from the previous day flooded back, her dream did as well. Even now, she could feel the heat of the flames as it engulfed her, taking away her breath and plummeting her into darkness. Reflexively, she grasped her neck lightly with her hand, feeling the sting of the smoke as it slid down her throat. Tears stung her eyes, thoughts of why she had these peculiar dreams making her heart ache in her chest.

Desperately wanting to get away so she could cry in peace, Kagome struggled to unwrap herself from Inuyasha's grasp, but her efforts only made him tighten his hold on her. Finally, after a few moments of vain effort, she gave up and rested her head against his chest. Her heart pounded furiously as she lay in bed, curled up in the young man's arms.

Inuyasha had awoken to the soft touch of cool hands as they brushed against his forehead and trailed down his jaw line. Noticing the lilac and vanilla scent, he fought to hide a smile, knowing Kagome would be quite upset if she knew he had awoken because of her. Besides, the way she self-consciously hid herself with the swimsuit and pajamas made him realize she was rather embarrassed around them. He couldn't understand why she would act like that. Almost as if she were afraid of them.

When the girl finally settled in his arms, he peeked an eye open to see what had her so uncomfortable. She stared at his chest, her eyes distant and filled with hurt. Opening his eyes fully, he took a glimpse around the room, setting his ears upon the steady breathing of Miroku and Sango. They were still asleep. Slow and hesitantly, for he didn't want to lose the moment of tranquility, he loosened his grip around Kagome. Surprised, she glanced up at him, a single tear spilling out of the corner of her eye.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered, his heart aching for her. She could detect the concern swimming in his twin pools of amber and quickly wiped her eyes. With a smile, she gently pulled away from him and he didn't resist, although disappointment seemed to settle heavy on his shoulders. Moving to the opposite side of the bed, the silent girl wrapped her arms around her knees in a sitting position. The half-demon opened his mouth to say something, but was rudely interrupted.

"You pervert!" Sango shouted, a resounding smack following shortly after. Her silhouette pushed someone off her bed. Apparently, Miroku had crept into her bed in the middle of the night.

His head popped up from where he lay. "But dear, I was only making sure you were safe," he offered, rising to a sitting position, crossing his legs Indian style.

The brunette scowled and folded her arms. "Save it," she growled. Kagome heard a rejected sigh from the man on the floor and she couldn't help but smile.

* * *

"So ... what are we going to do today?" Sango asked as they sat around the kitchen table, patiently waiting for their food. Kagome had been kind enough to make them all breakfast, even though Inuyasha insisted that their hired cook do it. She had simply waved it aside, casting him a playful glare before setting about finding the ingredients she needed.

Miroku grinned. "How about the beach?"

"You're an idiot," his half-demon friend mumbled, barely listening as Miroku and Sango began their daily bickering. Seriously, did they have to start this early in the morning?

Inuyasha continued to glance at the dark-haired beauty at the stove. His mind was still troubled by what had occurred last night. When she awoke from her dream, the look on her face was absolutely terrifying. It was as if she had stared death in the face. She turned around just then, peering at her quarreling friends, and saw Inuyasha looking at her. Turning pink, she quickly returned back to her cooking, setting the pancakes on four separate plates.

"Because I know you," Sango was saying, responding to one of Miroku's lame excuses. "First you're going to stare at me and make perverted comments until another girl in a bikini saunters by." She waved her hands in the air in meaningless gestures, shooting the man a glare.

He grimaced at her response before taking her hand in his. "Dear Sango, you know you are the only one for me."

Crimson flushed her cheeks. "Lecher," she mumbled, pulling her hand away and avoiding his gaze. Luckily she was saved from having any more conversation with him, because Kagome set down their plates in front of them, along with glasses of juice and utensils.

"Wow, this looks great, Kags," Sango complimented, all embarrassment gone as a wide smile spread across her lips.

Miroku took a bite, his face brightening considerably. "Absolutely delicious."

Inuyasha, never the compliment-giving type, continued to shovel the food in his mouth, watching Kagome carefully as she took a seat at the table, her own plate before her.

As they ate, Sango posed the question once more. "What are the plans?" The clink of silverware was her only response as she glanced between Miroku and Inuyasha. Boys could be so dense sometimes. When no one responded, she happily began listing off ideas. "Well, we could go shopping, see a movie, go to a club ... " She stopped herself when Kagome stared at her curiously and Miroku lit up with a grin. "Or we can do all three?"

The half-demon just shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."

She scowled at his lack of enthusiasm, but took it as an affirmative. They finished up their breakfast with small talk, although Kagome and Inuyasha chose to stay silent. As Miroku and Inuyasha cleared away the dishes, Sango grabbed Kagome's attention. "Why don't we go back to your house. You can take a shower and get changed, and then we'll meet the boys at the mall. Sound like a plan?"

Kagome smiled in agreement before making her way to the front door to slip on her shoes and gather her things. "We'll meet you there," Sango told Miroku as she grabbed his keys and followed her friend outside.

The boys watched the girls slide into Miroku's car before the music blasted and they were gone. "You do know she took your car, right?" Inuyasha asked, placing the remaining dishes in the cabinet.

Miroku crossed his arms with a dreamy expression. "Yeah ... " he sighed with a smile. A moment later, his eyes widened with realization. "Oh shit! She took my car!"

The half-demon watched his friend try and pull on his shoes, running outside in a hope to catch the girls before they got too far. "Keh," Inuyasha grunted, wiping his hands on a towel with a scowl. "What an idiot."

* * *

Sango pulled up in front of a shrine. She gaped at the long flight of steps, leading up to a red arch and a cluster of trees. "Wow, Kags. Never thought you lived here." The twosome exited the car, locking it behind them, and began their journey up the stairs.

As they reached the top, Sango's breaths slightly labored, they were greeted by an old man sweeping the shrine grounds. "Ah, Kagome!" he shouted, stopping what he was doing and walking to meet his granddaughter. "Where have you been young lady? And who is this?" He glared at Sango, peering at her as if to approve of her. "Are you a demon?" he asked, giving her a once over.

The girl being interrogated blushed under his gaze. "Uh ... no ... " she replied hesitantly, slightly startled by the man's forwardness.

"Oh father," Ms. Higurashi said as she came outside. "Stop pestering the poor girl." The old man turned around with a huff and resumed his chores, mumbling something about demons and their ability to cloak themselves. The middle-aged woman smiled. "I'm sorry about Gramps. He tends to have a vivid imagination."

Sango waved it aside. "Oh, that's okay, Mrs. Higurashi. I get that a lot."

The woman's smile saddened and a look of gloom crossed her eyes. "Actually, its 'Ms. Higurashi,'" she corrected quietly.

The brunette's eye widened. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean -"

Kagome's mother shook her head. "Its alright, dear. Now, mind telling me your name?"

"Sango Tajiya. I'm a friend from school." She grinned politely, noting how the depressing aura was dismissed with the elder lady's forgiving gaze.

"Please to meet you. Would like to come inside for breakfast?"

She shook her head. "No thank you. We just stopped by so Kags can get changed and that."

Ms. Higurashi glanced at her daughter, a sad smile flitting across her lips. "Very well then. Come and say goodbye before you leave." The dark-haired girl nodded before walking towards the house, motioning for Sango to follow.

"You're mom seems nice," the brunette said once they had entered the house and closed the door behind them. She noted the soft smile that blessed Kagome's lips. Although she now knew the girl's father had passed, she thought it best not to bring up such painful memories. After all, she recalls losing her own mother a few years ago, and the heartache still lingered.

The girls climbed the stairs to Kagome's bedroom, greeting Souta on the way. As the silent girl placed her new swim suit and her clothes from yesterday in the hamper, Sango made it her business to browse through her closet. "Kags, what is all this?"

The woman in question came to stand behind her new friend, her eyes gazing over the various pairs of sweats. The brunette sighed, realizing Kagome had stocked up on the unattractive clothing for some time. It was okay to wear sweats once in a while, maybe around the house, but she was stunned to learn that this wardrobe was all that Kagome had. Nothing could be salvaged. "I think we're going to have to stop by my house as well," Sango said, turning around with a mischievous grin. The dark-haired girl silently gulped.

* * *

After Kagome showered and finished changing, the girls drove to Sango's house, making sure to say their goodbyes to Kagome's family when they left. The design of Sango's house resembled Inuyasha's mansion slightly, although it was much smaller in size. The driveway consisted of a beautiful brown stone and led up to an extravagant manor. The outside bricks were a warm mocha and lush vegetation grew on either side.

Sango pulled her new friend up the front steps, happily making random chatter just to fill the irritable quietness. She believed Kagome was a nice girl, but her silence sometimes got on the girl's nerves. The brunette always had to be saying something or listening to someone else. It was just the way she was.

Entering the house, Kagome immediately slipped off her shoes as her feet met the snow white carpet. "Sango, is that you?" a man called out from somewhere inside.

"Yeah, dad, it's me. I'll be right down, okay?" Before the middle-aged man had a chance to respond or make an appearance, the girls ran up the stairs and into Sango's room. She gave a sigh of relief. Although she loved her father dearly, he always had to interrogate her friends during their first visit to their home. The habit had started after a bad friendship with a girl from grade school. They didn't have time to answer his meaningless questions. "Kags, I'm going to go shower. I'll be back in ten minutes." Kagome gave her a smile as the athletic teen hurried out the door, grabbing a comfortable pair of sweats on her way.

This gave her a chance to take a good look around Sango's room. Pink. That's the only word to describe it. The walls were covered in a light pink hue. Fuchsia clothed her double bed and her desk sported a pink lamp. The girl was strange, Kagome could say that much. Pink always seemed like a girlie color, but the tomboy appeared to love it.

She was still mesmerized by her surroundings when Sango came in. Her dark brown hair hung wet across her shoulders. The brunette shuffled over to her closet and opened it, revealing a walk-in space with a variety of colors accumulated on the racks. "Okay, let's see here," Sango mused, rifling through the many tops and bottoms. "What should we wear?"

Kagome gaped at her, realizing the brunette's intentions. She struggled to tell Sango that she did not wish to borrow any of her clothes, but the girl simply ignored her, tuning her ears to the scrap of metal against wood as she slid the hangers around.

"Here we go," Sango declared, pulling out some clothes. She placed her choices on the bed; a light pink halter top, a white skirt that went to mid-thigh, and a black belt. Bending down to her hands and knees, she quickly glanced at the shoes before pulling out a pair of black flats.

With a huff, she stood up and placed her hands on her hips. Smiling, she began spinning her finger above Kagome's head. "Now twirl slowly," she directed, watching her friend's face redden in embarrassment as she did what she was told. "Well, green would go amazing with your eyes, but blue really flatters your skin." Sango pondered for a moment, circling the girl to observe the angles, thinking over her various outfits.

"That's it!" she suddenly shouted, jumping back into her closet. After a few minutes, and a few mumbles from Sango, she finally came out victorious. "Perfect!" She pulled out a baby blue sundress for Kagome to wear. Grabbing a pair of white sandals off the floor, she threw both garments to her friend. "Go try it on." The startled female gave Sango a glare as she was shoved into the bathroom.

The brunette began fixing her hair; blow drying it, straightening it, and then finally allowing it to fall soft against her back. As she finished, Kagome timidly stepped into the room. Sango's eyes sparkled as she noticed her friend's reflection in the mirror. "Oh my goodness, Kags!" she squealed, turning around to view the girl completely. "You look gorgeous!" The dress hugged Kagome's figure in all the right places and, after glancing in the mirror, the raven-haired beauty had to agree.

A huge grin blessed Sango's lips as she hurried to the bathroom to change. Kagome continued to gape at her reflection. _I mean, if you pretend the scars aren't there, you could say I look pretty decent. _She continued to twirl around, trying to get a look at every angle of her body.

Giggling softly, Sango caused Kagome to jump at the sound. The brunette covered her mouth to try and silence her laugh, but she failed miserably. The girl scowled, waiting impatiently for the woman's laughter to die down. "Come on, Kags. We have to meet the boys." Still wearing a silly grin, she ushered Kagome downstairs.

When they reached the landing, the two teenagers were stopped by Sango's father. "Where do you think you're going, young lady?" he asked. The man had a large frame and dark hair, sprinkled with a bit of grey. Although his crossed arms and towering frame spoke of stern and protective, his kind eyes showed a different side to him.

"Kagome and I are going to hang out with Miroku and Inuyasha for the day," Sango replied, slowly inching her way to the door to slip on her shoes, bringing her silent friend along with her.

Mr. Tajiya raised an eyebrow. "And do I get to meet this Kagome?" he asked, swiveling a curious gaze towards the new girl in his home.

His daughter rolled her eyes. "We don't have time right now. We promised the boys we'd be back soon. You'll have plenty of time to interrogate her later." She smiled, giving him the sign she meant well.

He returned the gesture, unfolding his arms and dropping his threatening manner. "Alright then. What time do you suppose you'll be home?"

"Dad," she whined, thoroughly annoyed with his presence. She was eager to start the day. "I'm seventeen. I'm not a little kid anymore." Sango gave him a peck on the cheek, signaling her goodbye, and pulled Kagome out of her house towards her car, yelling goodbye to her father on the way. They both slipped into Miroku's car, buckled their seat belts, and sped off, excited about the day ahead of them.

A/N: Okay, I think I got this one out much faster than usual. So we get to see a little one-on-one time with Sango and Kagome. I know this one was a bit of a filler, but I promise to try and get the next one out soon. Speaking of which, in the next chapter we get to see the relationship blossom a little between Inu and Kags, and a bit more information on her dark past. Don't worry, before their weekend is over we'll know the truth behind Kagome's silence. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter and please review.

As a side note: For my readers of Through Blood and Tears, there may be a delay in the update status. I have the next chapter written out, but I'm not sure if I like it and I'm having someone look over it just in case. So it should come out, hopefully, within the month. Sorry for the delay.

**Please take my poll!**


	12. Bad Memories

**Speak**

**Chapter 12: Bad Memories**

Sango parked Miroku's car and turned off the engine. Glancing over, she saw Kagome pale at the sight of the boys standing in front of the mall, impatiently waiting their arrival. "Don't worry, Kags," the brunette said with a smile. "Everything is going to be fine." Her words did little to reassure the girl, but Kagome nodded none the less and shakily got out of the car.

Locking up the vehicle, the two friends walked over to the entrance, purses slung over their shoulders. Miroku, ever the pervert, smiled and attempted to come near Sango in order to bring his hand in close range. "Don't even," she said before a pick-up line could cross his lips. She pointedly glared at him, causing the man to back up and hold his hands up in defeat. "Hey Yash."

The half-demon didn't appear to hear her, as his eyes were solely fixed on the person behind her. Glancing back, Sango caught sight of Kagome blushing profusely under his gaze. She gracefully walked towards Inuyasha, her steps hesitant.

Miroku watched his friend's odd behavior and slapped a hand on his shoulder. "Inuyasha, you're drooling," he whispered with a chuckle.

It seemed to pull the boy from his stupor, for he ripped his eyes away from Kagome's delicate form and glared at his best friend. "Keh," he replied, turning around to hide the blush on his cheeks. Once he was sure his friends couldn't see his face, he wiped a hand across his chin to assure himself that drool wasn't on his face.

Kagome smiled nervously and began following Sango into the mall. She was quite embarrassed when Inuyashahad stared at her for so long and it only made her fold her arms to hide up whatever scars she could. At the moment, she was a bit upset with her friend for making her wear such a revealing piece of clothing.

"Miroku," Sango warned, her voice low and deadly. "You better find another place to put that hand of yours." The couple was stopped just inside the doors and her face was twisted in an annoying scowl. Miroku removed his hand from her bottom, chuckling anxiously in an attempt to bypass her anger.

"Dear," he began, only to be silenced with a glare.

Grabbing his hand, the brunette caught up to her friends, giving no indication that she would release him. He was quite stunned for a moment, seeing as how she never wanted to come in contact with him, but he only grinned, believing she was finally warming up to his charms. Sango, on the other hand, had an entirely different purpose for showing such affection. As long as she held his hand, he wouldn't be able to touch her improperly. And she would put up with a little hand-holding to keep him at bay.

She quickened her pace to catch up with Kagome and Inuyasha, but only stopped dead in her tracks, yanking Miroku back as he began to walk in front of her. "Wha-!?" he started.

"Shh!" Silently, she made a motion with her eyes for Miroku to follow her gaze. Inuyasha, although flustered by his earlier actions, seemed to have made amends with the silent girl. He was talking softly to her and the pair watching him could pick up their names in his conversation. "He's talking about us," Sango whispered to Miroku, knowing he wouldn't be paying any attention to what was said between them, but rather what was _done_ between them.

Even though the half-demon was badmouthing his friends, Kagome seemed to be smiling and enjoying the stories he was telling her. "It seems our friend Inuyasha likes her," Miroku stated, stroking his chin with a lecherous smile.

Sango scoffed. "Thanks for pointing that out, Mr. Obvious." His grin fell immediately as he glanced at her, confused by her words. "Never mind," she sighed with a shake of her head. "I think they would like some time alone."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She glanced back at him. "Let me use your phone," she demanded, ignoring his question. With a skeptic look, Miroku did as he was told and handed over his black cell phone. "Thanks." Punching in her own number, she hid Miroku's cell behind her back, making sure everyone could hear her ring tone.

Inuyasha and Kagome stopped their conversation and glanced over at Sango, wondering who was calling her. "Hello," she answered her phone with a smile, closing Miroku's phone in the process. "Really," she continued the one-way conversation, giving the appropriate expressions at the right times. "Not again. Sure, I'll be right there." She ended the call and feigned disappointment.

"What's up?" Inuyasha asked, leading Kagome over so they could hear.

"My dad was called into work again," she lied. "He needs me to take Kohaku to my aunt's house." Her aunt lived about an hour away, which would give the half-demon and their new friend plenty alone time. "Sorry you guys, but I'm going to have to cut this short."

Kagome's face fell as she began shuffling towards the exit. Sango noticed this and her face turned to alarm. "Oh no, Kags, you don't have to go. Miroku can drive me." She ignored the glances said man gave her.

A relieving smile blessed the raven-haired beauty's lips. "I'll call you guys later, okay?" Sango yelled, pulling a struggling Miroku out the door.

Once they were outside, he sprung the question. "Sango, what are you up to?"

"Oh nothing," she replied with a seemingly innocent smile. When he wasn't buying her charade, she told him of her plan. "Its evident those two like each other. I think they need some time alone to bond."

Miroku seemed to ponder the thought for a moment before his face flashed with recognition. "Ah, I see," he replied. "What a devious mind you have. So, my dear, where do we plan to be during these few hours you've given them?"

"My house," she blurted without hesitation. When she noticed the infamous grin on the man's face, she quickly regretted it. "Th-that's not what I meant!"

"I never knew you felt that way," he said, seduction in his voice. Before she could get angry or smack him, he had gone back to his usual facade, smiling innocently as if no words were said at all. With a soft sigh, she handed him the car keys, noticing the spark of heat that scorched her skin when their hands touched. The couple looked at one another, but Miroku didn't seem to notice. Instead, he walked around into the driver side and turned on the car, waiting for his companion to slide in.

Shaking her head to clear away the romantic thoughts, Sango fixed on a scowl and sat in the passenger's side, trying to ignore him. The rumble of the engine was the only sound as they sped off to their destination, but it was evident the girl could not keep him from her mind.

--With Kagome and Inuyasha--

Inuyasha crossed his arms as they waited patiently for the man behind the counter to ring up their tickets. Although Sango and Miroku had abandoned them (and he had a guess as to why) Kagome still wanted to see the movie and had begged him with a pout. How could he say no to _that _face?

"Here you go, sir," the ticket man said, handing over the half-demon's change and two tickets for the hot comedy of the week.

As they made their way to the snack counter, Kagome began to pull money out of her purse. "What do you want?" Inuyasha asked her, his eyes never leaving the menu of items to choose from. She pointed to a diet coke. "One diet, one regular," he said to the guy managing the register. "Anything to eat?" he asked Kagome nonchalantly, leaning against the counter as if he was bored. She shook her head, handing him a few bills.

The silver-haired man paid no attention to her money offer. Instead, he paid for everything and ignored her silent protests as he handed over their tickets and made his way to the correct theater. By this time, Kagome had gone to pouting, tired of everyone always paying for her. She may be a bit low on the wealthy-chain, but that didn't mean she accepted handouts.

As the couple entered the dark theater, Inuyasha handed the girl her pop and continued down the steps. Small bulbs lit up the walkway, being their only source of light. The large screen at the front of the room was dark, waiting patiently for the movie to begin.

Kagome, preoccupied with finding some seats, didn't notice the steep step in front of her. As her foot slipped off the edge and she lost her balance, she squinted her eyes shut, feeling herself falling towards the ground. With her drink in one hand, her free arm jolted out in front of her to break the fall. But surprisingly, she didn't land on the ground. Instead, she opened her eyes to find her hands holding on the someone's arms.

She glanced up to be met with a pair of amber eyes, instantly recognizing who her savior was. "You okay?" Inuyasha asked, concern evident in his husky voice. The dark-haired girl slowly nodded her head, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. They stood there for a moment, becoming lost in each others gaze. Their faces drew closer until she could feel his breath along her skin and her heart skipped a beat.

Their foreheads were almost touching, their lips merely centimeters apart. And just as they were about to close the distance between them, music echoed through the theater, bringing the movie to life. A blush immediately flushed across Kagome and Inuyasha's cheeks as they stared at each other for a brief moment, clearly embarrassed, before they pulled away. He cleared his throat as his eyes quickly glanced over the theater for a final time.

"There are a couple of seats over there," the half-demon stated, pointing near the middle of the room. He gently grasped Kagome's hand and led her down the aisle. She refused to meet his eyes and felt her hand getting sweating from nerves in his grasp. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice and sat down, releasing her hand and motioning to the seat next to him. The film began as Kagome took a sip of her drink, surprised she didn't drop it earlier. She had been so startled by Inuyasha's reaction, she hadn't even thought about it. What if she had spilled it all over him? Or had fallen flat on her face? She would have made a total fool of herself.

Halfway through the movie, Kagome's face was blanketed by tears as she clutched her stomach, laughs erupting from her throat. Whenever she had a moment to catch her breath, something else would flit across the screen, causing her to erupt into giggles once more.

Inuyasha didn't seem to think it was as funny, but that may have been because he wasn't really even paying attention. Instead, his eyes were fixated on the dark-haired girl beside him. He would never admit it, but the way she laughed ... it was heaven's call. It was warm and light, showing off her happier side, one he had rarely caught a glimpse of. Her face lit up each time she glanced at the film.

When the screen turned to black and the credits began to roll, Inuyasha held out his hand. Kagome took it and allowed him to guide her out of the dark theater. He didn't know why, but she was still doubled over with laughter and a wide smile caressed her lips. Slightly supporting her, they stopped a moment as she sat down on a nearby bench, giving her time to control her giggles.

"Keh," he grunted, crossing his arms. "Ain't you ever seen a comedy before?"

The young woman smiled at his tough exterior and shook her head. After a moment of a confused look from the half-demon, she searched through her purse and fished out a folded piece of paper and a pen. She set it upon her knee and wrote something, giving it to her friend when she finished.

_The last time I laughed so hard was with my dad before he died._

His face softened, his eyes swirling with guilt, as he finished reading her neatly crafted note. Slowly, he glanced back at her sad smile and pleading eyes. His expression filled with concern for the broken girl. "Kagome ... " he mumbled sincerly.

She merely shook her head and waved it aside. Truth be told, beneath her false exterior, her heart was breaking and she forced back her tears. She was still grieving her father's death. Between her family, she had taken in it the hardest because she was there when he died.

The half-demon desperately tried to change the subject and glanced at his cell phone. "It's lunch time. Wanna go back to my house for something to eat?" She nodded her head in agreement, taking his hand and walking towards the parking lot. A blush crossed his cheeks, but he forced down the lump in his throat and smirked.

As the bright afternoon greeted them, Kagome shielded her eyes from the sun and smiled at the slight breeze in the air. Her heart swelled with joy as Inuyasha led her through the rows of parked cars. She tightened her grip around his hand. She had gotten over her fear of being denied friendship, rather letting things take their course. She had forgotten how it felt to be accepted. Was this true happiness?

* * *

"Ah, here it is," Inuyasha exclaimed, taking something out of his kitchen cabinet. He clutched a tub of Ramen in his hands triumphantly. He smirked confidently before glancing over the instructions. An uncomfortable look crossed his features as his eyes roamed the kitchen.

Kagome shook her head. Apparently, he was so used to his chef cooking for him, he had never made anything himself. What an idiot. She walked over to him and took the Ramen out of his hands, smiling politely at him. "Keh," he replied gruffly, furrowing his brows and crossing his arms. "I could do it."

_As if ... _she thought with a smirk, rummaging through the various cabinets for the pot needed. Inuyasha watched with a dumbfounded look as she began to prepare the meal. As he gazed at the boiling pot of noodles, she took some things from the fridge, setting them out on the counter along with a pan. His ears twitched upon his head as he watched her prepare grilled fish, mixing the ingredients together in a bowl before marinating the fish and placing it on the pan.

The dark-haired girl felt a hand press against her lower back and she immediately stiffened. "Keh, could have done that," Inuyasha said softly, almost tenderly, his warm breath tickling her neck. Kagome relaxed slightly, relieved of his presence, and turned around to give him a sly grin. After all, it was only Ramen and some grilled fish. Everyone she knew had at least _that_ much skill in the kitchen.

Sliding along the counter top, she made him relinquish his hold on her back. With a smile, she ventured into the adjoining living room. Having never been in this part of the house, she was once again amazed by the view before her. Sunlight shined on the mahogany wood, expanding into the room beyond it. The space seemed more like an office then a living room. Bookcases took up an entire wall and two desks sat facing each other on opposite sides. Kagome began wandering around the room, trailing her fingers along the pieces of decoration.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha called, leaning against the doorway. He missed the smirk upon her lips and watched her disappear into the next room. Growling slightly in irritation, the half-demon followed her, picking up the pace when she did. When he was an arm's length away, she suddenly broke out into a run. At first, he was stunned at the sudden movement, but after he heard her sweet laughter, he smirked. "So, that's how it's going to be?" he mumbled, recognizing the cat-and-mouse game. He dashed after he, knowing he could easily catch her, but what fun would that be?

After a few moments of chasing the dark-haired angel, Inuyasha gently tackled her to the ground. He flipped her over so he could stare down at her smiling face. They were in the kitchen archway now, lying on the stone tiles beneath them.

"You think you can out run me?" he questioned in a dangerous tone. She wriggled beneath him, her laughter never ceasing, as she tried to pry away from his grasp. "Time to be punished!" Kagome shrieked as his clawed hands trailed along her sides and stomach, tickling her to the point of tears.

With all her might, the silent girl struggled beneath him, begging him with her eyes and hands to release his hold on her. He refused with a smirk. All of her efforts were in vain as he pressed on. "Inuyasha!"

He froze. She had called out his name. She had _spoken **his**_ _name_. And it was beautiful. Her eyes were beginning to tear and her face held a smile. A light blush settled across her cheeks as he continued to stare at her. She hadn't meant to call out to him, it had just happened. Now she wished she never did, feeling uncomfortable under his heated gaze.

The half-demon opened his mouth to try and form words when a high-pitched beep went off, sending the smoke alarm into a frenzy. Inuyasha immediately darted his eyes towards the kitchen, noticing the small fire that had ignited on the stove. "Oh shit!" he yelled, getting up and running to grab the fire extinguisher. Obviously, their little game had lasted longer than they expected it to.

He was able to put out the small flames in a matter of seconds, but not before Kagom saw it. "Damn," he grumbled. Sighing, he set down the extinguisher and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "Oh well, I guess we'll have to order ou-" He stopped speaking when he set his eyes on Kagome.

She was crawling away from him, her eyes wide with fear as beads of sweat formed across her brow. Her face had turned a sickly pale and he instantly became worried. "Kagome? What's wrong?" He slowly crept towards her, as to not frighten her any more than she already was, and reached his hand towards her. The raven-haired girl shook her head as she continued to retreat, her eyes never leaving the stovetop.

As he took another step forward, Kagome was stopped in her tracks. The couch prevented her from going anywhere. Inuyasha took this opportunity and knelt down beside her. Tears trickled down her cheeks and she wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her face into them. His amber eyes never left her face. "Kags, what's wrong? Tell me." It broke his heart to see her in such pain. The same feelings he had experienced the previous night flooded his veins and a lump lodged in the pit of his stomach.

"What happened?" he demanded, the joking tone in his voice vanishing. He was tired of her secrets, of wondering what the cause of her torture was. "Kagome-" He was interrupted by the ring of her cell phone.

Biting her lip to hold back her cries, Kagome wiped away her tears and rummaged around in her purse that she had placed on the couch when they arrived. "Hey Kags," Sango greeted cheerfully from the other line. The brunette glanced over to see Miroku giving her a perverted grin. "Let me talk to Yash," she responded, not overlooking the muffled whimpers coming from Kagome's end. An exchange of the phone occurred.

"Yeah?" Inuyasha said, concern evident in his normally care-free tone.

"Inuyasha!" she yelled. "Why don't you ever answer your phone?" He was confused for a moment, but quickly pulled out his cell phone to see it was dead. He tried to answer her question, but she was already preoccupied with her next thought. "Is everything okay? I think Kags was crying." She was worried about her new friend, considering she hadn't known the girl for very long.

"Everything's fine," Inuyasha snapped, stealing a glimpse at Kagome. She had returned to her earlier position, her head buried in her knees.

"Okay, if you say so ... " Sango was hesitant, but decided not to press matters for the time being. She would interrogate Inuyasha later. "Where are you guys?"

"My house, grabbing a bite to eat." He stood up and pulled the whimpering girl off the floor with his free hand, helping her to the couch.

"You're house?" Sango repeated, immediately regretting her big mouth.

Inuyasha heard someone in the background of Sango's end and instantly knew it had to be Miroku. His sensitive ears could pick up everything the pervert was saying, and lets just say it wasn't for children to hear. The half-demon balled his fist and opened his mouth to yell at Sango to shut him up, but she beat him to it. The brunette screamed something, followed by a big crash and a groan of pain. "Sorry about that," she replied a little breathlessly. "Miroku and I will swing by your place. I want to take Kags shopping before we go to the club later."

"See you in a bit." He hung up and stood there for a moment, staring at Kagome. She was now in a normal sitting position on the couch, but her eyes were fixated on the floor and she kept twiddling her fingers. "Sango is coming by to take you shopping," he stated gruffly, crossing his arms.

The girl only nodded her head slowly in reply. Grabbing her purse, she ambled to the bathroom in an attempt to freshen up, hoping to hid the redness that had appeared around her eyes. She faintly heard him make his way back into the kitchen to clean up the mess she had caused. She felt terrible. The way she acted must have him confused and she offered no explanation for her behavior. She could only pray he didn't hate her.

A/N: I think I got this one out pretty quick. It will be the last update for at least a week, probably longer. I'm going to Florida on the 4th and won't be back until Easter morning. Pretty excited about that. But I managed to get this out before then. So I hope you enjoyed and please review!


	13. A Night of Twists and Turns

To those I couldn't reply to:

InuXKag_Angel X : Ha ha! I'm glad to see you so enthused for Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship. You're prediction may just come true, so keep reading and let me know how you like it. Thanks for the review!

feudalgirl inukag: Hope this chapter came out fast enough for you. Kikyo and Naraku will come back into play in a few more chapters. As what happened to Kagome, the truth will come to light very soon. So you have that to look forward to. Thanks for reviewing!

twilightluver04: Hey! I'm so glad you were able to get on-line and read my fic. And from your review I'm guessing you approve? Well, lucky for you I happen to be updating now so you didn't have to wait too long like my other readers. Enjoy!

**Speak**

**Chapter 13: A Night of Twists and Turns**

Sango arrived at Inuyasha's house with Miroku in tow. The afternoon she had spent with the lecher turned out to be not as bad as she thought. They had a simple lunch at her house and watched television until they were sure their friends had enough alone time. During the period in which she was alone with him, the brunette only had to slap him a total of three times for his wandering hands. For him, that was a record.

"I wonder what our dear friend Inuyasha is doing," he said as they walked up the porch steps.

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Give it a rest already," she pleaded, hoping to silence his comments. It truly did get annoying after some time. She knocked on the door and waited patiently for someone to answer. It opened a few moments later and they were welcomed with Kagome's smiling face. "Hey, Kags," Sango greeted cheerfully.

The silent girl beamed brighter and stepped aside so the two could enter. She noted the silly grin on Miroku's face and gave him a curious glance. "Don't ask," Sango mumbled as she walked by. The smile quickly fell from the lecher's face.

"Oh my goodness!" the athletic girl exclaimed as she stepped into the kitchen. "What happened?!"

Inuyasha glanced at her from where he stood near the stove, trying in vain to scrub it clean. "I tried to cook," he lied, covering up for his and Kagome's little episode. He stole a glimpse of her and noted the light blush dusting her cheeks as she came in to stand behind Sango.

"Oh, man," Miroku said, folding his arms as he glanced over the mess. "Yash, don't you ever learn?"

Sango put a hand on her forehead, clearly stressed. Kagome laid a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her nerves. It never really was a good idea to get Sango's blood pressure up. Good thing she had learned that early on. "Whatever," the brunette mumbled with a sigh. "I'm going to take Kagome shopping now. I'll call you when we're done and we'll figure it out from there."

"Wait, you're not going to help?" Inuyasha asked with a look of disbelief.

"Nope," she replied with a shake of her head. "I didn't make this mess." She waved over her shoulder and left the house without allowing anything more to be said. Kagome followed with a sheepish smile.

Miroku quietly shuffled after them. "Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled from the kitchen.

He cringed and stopped in his tracks. "Uh, yeah?" He poked his head around the doorway.

His half-demon friend stood there with a look that could kill. "You're stayin'." Miroku groaned and dejectedly picked up some cleaning utensils, mumbling about friends and their problems.

- With Kagome and Sango -

Sango parked Miroku's car and made her way into the mall with Kagome a few steps behind. "You know, the boys can sometimes be real idiots."

Her companion replied with a smile. The two ducked into a few stores with Sango chatting about the entire male population, specifically pointing out how they can be real perverts. Kagome had an idea who she was actually talking about.

Three hours later, after trying on a variety of clothes, they dragged themselves out of the mall, each holding four bags. Sango still wore her smile, but the topic of conversation had changed to how great the woman population was. _Does she ever stop talking? _Kagome asked herself, smiling at her friend's outgoing personality.

On the drive home, they agreed to stop by Kagome's house so she could let her family know where she was going. They walked up the front steps and opened the door. "Kagome, is that you?" a woman called from the kitchen. Seconds later, Ms. Higurashi stepped into the hallway with a look of relief. "I was getting worried," she said as she brought her daughter into a warm embrace. "You've been gone all day." She released her hold as Kagome smiled to reassure her that everything was fine.

"Oh, don't worry, Ms. Higurashi," Sango butted in. "We've been with Inuyasha and Miroku."

"Who are these boys?" she asked, not yet having the pleasure of meeting Kagome's new friends. She ushered the girls into the kitchen and began setting place-mats on the table. "I want to hear all about them."

The three girls ate with a continuous flow of conversation between Ms. Higurashi and Sango. It appeared that the brunette had a lot to talk about concerning their friends, more so on Miroku than Inuyasha. After Kagome finished, she motioned to her mom and friend that she was going upstairs to take a shower, leaving the two women to finish conversing.

She grabbed a pair of sweats and jumped into the bathroom, glad to finally have some time alone to think. Her muscles relaxed as the warm water beaded against her back. _I'm so stupid, _she thought. _Inuyasha must think I'm crazy for acting the way I did this morning. _As her thoughts moved to the previous night and the way it felt being in the half-demon's arms, she blushed and shook her head, allowing the thoughts to escape her.

The girls had already agreed to get ready at Sango's house, so Kagome just left her hair down and damp. She had never been to a club before, so her nerves were a bit on edge. With a sigh, she walked downstairs to find her mom and Sango laughing about something the brunette had said. Kagome could only hope she wasn't talking about the male population again.

"Oh, Kags," Sango said as soon as she saw her. "It's about time you finished. Let's go to my house to get ready." She smiled and stood up. While Kagome was getting ready, Sango had informed her mother they were going to meet the boys and hang out at her house tonight. She purposely left out the part about them going to a club, unsure if Kagome's mother would approve. I mean seriously, Kagome seemed so pure and innocent. Sango didn't want to risk their friendship by getting on her mother's bad side.

Kagome slipped on her shoes and gave her mom a hug. Her friend followed suit, saying goodbye to Ms. Higurashi, who in turned waved them off as they left. They jumped into Miroku's car and sped towards Sango's house to get ready for a night of fun. "I didn't tell your mom about the club," Sango mentioned. Kagome's eyes widened. She had never lied to her mom before. "Don't worry about it," she said, glancing at her passenger. "Just have fun."

The dark-haired girl sighed and rolled her eyes. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Kagome felt someone gently shake her and she fought against them, pleading for them to give her a few more minutes. When she found they weren't going to listen to her her thoughts, she cracked open an eye to find a small light from the lamp on the bedside table. Sango was sitting beside her and smiled.

"It's about time you woke up. You've been sleeping for a while now." Kagome rubbed her eyes, remembering how she had decided to take a nap before getting ready for the club. As her gaze drifted to the window, she panicked when she found night had fallen. Sango gave her a questioning look and followed her eyes. When she realized what her friend was worrying about, she chuckled. "Don't worry, Kags. Its only eight o'clock."

She breathed a sigh of relief and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Sango leapt up from where she sat and scurried to the closet. "I called the boys and told them to meet us at Kobi around nine. That gives us an hour to get ready." The brunette began rummaging around in their shopping bags, grabbing the things they had chosen to wear that night. Apparently while Kagome had slept, Sango had brought their bags in from the car and up to her room. The silent girl smiled at her friend, glad to know Sango always had her back.

- One hour later -

Kagome frantically ran around the room, trying to make her outfit look just right. Sango had finished moments earlier and now sat on her bed, watching her friend in amusement. The brunette's outfit consisted of a pink halter top and a black mini-skirt. To top it off, she wore black stiletto heels to compliment her skirt. Her make-up was simple, yet elegant, and her hair was thrown up into a ponytail. A silver necklace hung around her throat and a bracelet adorned her left wrist.

She had to admit, however, it was Kagome who looked stunning. She wore a black vest-looking top. It had a v-neck and buttoned down to her waist. It was sleeveless, making it appear flirtatious. She wore a short black skirt and matching black heels, similar to Sango. Her hair was curled softly and her eyes were complimented by a flick of mascara. Usually Kagome wouldn't dare think about an outfit like this, let alone wear one, but with a few threats from Sango, she agreed to wear it for this one night only.

"Kags, you look amazing," Sango said as she shuffled over to her friend to try and calm her down. "Stop worrying so much." Kagome sighed and fingered the locket around her neck. The brunette had noticed her touch it before, quite a few times actually, but didn't think anything of it. Now she was intrigued. "What is that?" she asked, pointing to the small silver heart.

Reluctantly, Kagome opened her hand, allowing her friend in on her little secret. Sango peered at it, but didn't dare touch it. The way Kagome always fingered it protectively caused her to believe it was very special and didn't want to strike a nerve. "It's beautiful," the brunette whispered, earning a smile from her friend.

"Ready?" she asked in a cheerful voice after one more look over. Kagome gave a hesitant smile and nodded her head, unsure of what was in store for her.

* * *

"They're late," Inuyasha grumbled, fidgeting angrily outside Kobi. He had been waiting for twenty minutes with Miroku and the girls still hadn't shown up.

The dark-haired man sighed. "Calm down, Yash. Women are always late, trust me." The half-demon threw him a death glare and Miroku backed off, even though he knew that his friend's threats were meaningless.

It was about ten minutes later that they saw Sango park Miroku's car a little ways over. Although a scowl adorned his face, Inuyasha was quite nervous about seeing Kagome again. He waited impatiently, leaning against the outside of the building. Music could be heard from inside, but his ears were focused solely on the approaching footsteps.

Miroku's breath caught in his throat. Sango looked absolutely stunning and it was all he could do to keep his hand tucked securely in his pockets. Inuyasha's eyes were drawn to the second girl, watching as her midnight hair caressed her skin. Silence seemed to drag on as the couples gazed lustfully at one another. Kagome, feeling a bit uncomfortable, giggled and boldly took Inuyasha's hand, leading him inside while he stumbled after stupidly.

"Shall we?" Miroku asked, giving the brunette his arm.

She looked at him for a moment. "Oh, what the hell," she said with a smile, wrapping her arm around his.

He breathed a sigh of relief that she had accepted and guided her over to a secluded table with their friends. Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha all sat down as Kagome glanced around the club. It was really crowded and the entire floor was covered with dancers. Neon lights hung from the ceiling and lit up the floor. It was a sight to behold. Speakers blared out music and she recognized one of her favorite songs.

With a smile, she grasped Sango and Inuyasha's hands, pulling them up and motioning for Miroku to follow. She dragged them to the dance floor and immediately began swaying her hips to the beat. Miroku happily obliged although his half-demon friend needed a bit of persuasion from Kagome. Her laughter rose above the music as song after song played and sweat began covering her skin.

After about five songs, a soft melody floated through the speakers. With a smile, the young woman girl blushed under Inuyasha's intense gaze. He gently held Kagome's hands and led them around his neck before placing his hands on her hips. His face blushed crimson as he was sucked into the depths of her eyes, as if drowning in twin pools of laughter and pain. He could only imagine the truth that hid behind them. A few moments into the song, Kagome released her hold around his neck and grasped his shirt, laying her head against his chest.

Miroku and Sango swayed back and forth in a similar manner, although not as intimate. "Kagome really is a special girl," Sango whispered to her companion, watching as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin.

"Yeah," he replied, watching them as well. "I've never seen Yash act so romantic before."

Sango chuckled. "Unless you count Kikyo."

Her companion smiled and drew her gaze to him. "But you know who else is special? You." She blushed from his comment as he tightened his hold on her. She placed her hands against his chest and tore her gaze away. Why was her heart pounding so furiously in her chest?

The couples continued to sway back and forth, each enjoying the moment of absolute happiness. When the song ended, Sango and Miroku left the dance floor, leaving their friends to their own devices. They continued to dance slowly even as an upbeat song began to play. Finally, the silent girl willed her eyes to look up at him and found a smirk adorning his lips. Their faces became serious as they drew closer to one another.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered so only he could hear. Her voice rang in his ears as he closed the space between them and gave her a tender kiss. She shut her eyes and returned the gesture, a sensual heat erupting at the contact. She draped her arms around his neck and entwined her hands within his silver locks. Indefinable emotions swept through her body, causing a tingle to shoot down her spine.

The couple didn't want to break away, but the need for oxygen had other ideas. Gold clashed with auburn as they ended the kiss and stared deep into each other's eyes. Inuyasha smirked and took her hand, swiftly leading her off the dance floor in a world of bliss. They appeared back at their table only to come upon their friends. Sango's arms were crossed and she had her back to the lecher. "And here I thought you were actually a romantic," she mumbled under her breath.

"But dear," Miroku said, trying to preach his innocence. A red hand print adorned his face and Inuyasha inwardly chuckled. He knew it wouldn't last.

The half-demon took a seat in their booth and tugged on Kagome's hand for her to sit next to him. She pulled against him and glanced to the far side of the room. All the dancing had made her throat dry and a glass of ice water would really do her some good. She pointed in that general direction. "I'll come with you," Sango spoke up, already trying to slid out of the booth. Kagome pushed her back and made a motion with her hands, telling her to stay put. "Alright, whatever," the brunette replied, not really in the mood for arguing. "But can you get me a water while you're there?"

She nodded with a smile and began pushing her way through the crowd. Before she could reach her destination, a hand grasped her wrist and began pulling her towards the far wall. Her footing was off as she willingly stumbled after the stranger. With the mass of people around her, she was afraid that if the man let go, she would be trampled. That was definitely not on her wish list.

Gently, the boy pushed her into the wall and her view became blocked by a pair of intense blue eyes. "Hey gorgeous," a familiar voice called. Kouga pressed up against her, one hand leaning against the wall beside her head, the other laying possessively on her hip. "Didn't expect to see you around. You here alone?"

Kagome shook her head and tried to push him off of her, but the wolf demon refused to let her go. She pleaded with her eyes, but he just didn't get the message. He slowly brought his face closer to her until she could feel his hot breath against her neck. He began to place butterfly kisses along the tender column of her throat.

"Stop, please," she forced out. He paused for a moment and lifted his head to stare into her eyes.

"So you do talk," Kouga said with a wolfish grin. "Am I finally getting to you?" He gave her a seductive smile and continued to flirt with her. The hand that had been lying on her hip moved up towards her chin. He laid a single finger under her jaw and forced her eyes to meet his.

Inuyasha sat at the table waiting for Kagome to return. It had already been five mintues. "How long does it take to get a couple of drinks?" he growled, drumming his claws against the table as his eyes roamed through the crowd.

"Calm down, Yash," Miroku reasoned. "Give her a few more minutes. Its probably really crowded by the bar."

The half-demon opened his mouth to yell back a retort, but his words halted in his throat. His ears flickered on his head. Although it was faint, he could have sworn he heard someone call his name. He turned around to glance at the mass of people. "Inu ... yasha." There is was again. No mistaking it this time. That was definitely Kagome's voice. He jumped up and shoved his way through the club, trying to pick her apart from the various scents and voices that crowded the dim atmosphere.

Sango and Miroku were startled by his sudden reaction. "Wait!" the brunette called, sliding off of the booth. "Where are you going?!" When they received no response, they trailed after their friend, desperately trying to keep him in their sights.

Kagome fought with all of her might to push Kouga away from her, but in the position his body in, her efforts proved futile. "Inu ... yasha," she whispered, knowing there was almost no chance he had heard her.

"Why do you keep calling that mutt's name?" the wolf demon growled. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, feeling his lips press tenderly against her jaw. Suddenly, the force that kept her pinned to the wall disappeared and Kouga was sent sprawling to floor. Groaning, he clutched his cheek.

"Don't you ever go near her again, understand?" Inuyasha yelled, his tone resembling anger and hatred. He stood protectively in front of her as the man slowly rose from where he lay. Kagome slid to the floor in a heap, wrapping her arms around herself.

"This is none of your business, dog-breath," Kouga spat, wiping the blood from his lip.

Sango and Miroku pushed their way to the front of the crowd, nervously watching the scene before them. The demons balled their hands into fists in an attempt to scare of their opponent. "Alright, take it outside," a booming voice echoed over the room. One of the demon bouncers pushed his way through the group of people, barring his claws and fangs.

Hakkaku and Ginta seemed to rush out of nowhere and stood by Kouga's sides. "Come on," they persuaded, hoping to avoid trouble. The quarrelling men stared each other down as hushed whispers escaped the crowd.

"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha scoffed as he dropped his offensive stance. The wolf demon shoved people aside as he pushed his way towards the bar, yelling curse words as he went. Kagome had tears rolling down her cheeks at the unfriendly encounter. Her savior turned his attention from Kouga's receding figure and knelt next to the frightened girl.

He cupped her cheek in his hand. "Its okay, Kagome," he assured, silently cursing himself for allowing this to happen. Without warning, Kagome wrapped her arms around him as he held the frighten girl in his arms. She finally calmed down after a moment and wiped away the remaining tears. Inuyasha released his grip on her and looked down at her, concern evident in his gaze. "Come on, I'll bring you home." He could tell she was no longer in the mood for partying. Giving a slight nod, she stood up and allowed the half-demon to wrap an arm around her shoulders and lead her out the door.

"Poor Kagome," Sango mumbled, watching her friend leave through the front entrance.

A grim expression crossed Miroku's face. "I suggest we leave as well. But first we need to make sure Kouga doesn't drink himself senseless."

"Yeah, you're right," she replied. "We don't want a problem with him later on. Maybe Ginta and Hakkaku could give him a ride home." Locking hands, the couple sighed as they headed in the direction the wolf demon took off in moments earlier.

- With Inuyasha and Kagome -

Inuyasha helped Kagome into the passenger seat of his car and closed the door before walking around the front of the car to the driver's side. He slid in, buckled his seat belt and sped off towards her house. He glanced between her and the road, noticing how she kept her head down. His grip tightened on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. How dare that bastard touch Kagome in such a manner! His blood boiled at the thought of that mangy wolf. If only he had gone with her to get the drinks, then maybe it wouldn't have happened. It was all his fault that she was scared out of her mind.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his arms and looked over at his passenger. Kagome smiled slightly at him. He hadn't realized he was growling. "Sorry," he mumbled and gently took her hand in his. He rubbed soothing circles on the back of her hand and she held his in return, comforted by the simple gesture.

Silence ensued for the remainder of the ride until they stopped before her house. He helped her out of the car and held her hand as they walked up the steps to her front porch. "What's this?" Inuyasha questioned aloud as he saw a note tapped to her front door. Kagome appeared beside him and took it off the door to read it.

_Kagome,  
Souta, Grandpa, and I have gone to visit your aunt. She's been sick for some time.  
Sorry we didn't wait for you, but we didn't want to ruin your night.  
I'll call you tomorrow morning to let you know how things are.  
Don't forget to lock up before bed.  
Love always,  
Mom_

Inuyasha took heed of the silent girl's expression as it slightly altered. He peered over her shoulder and read Ms. Higurashi's perfectly scripted handwriting. "Kagome," he questioned, gaining her attention as she looked towards him. "Are you going to be okay?"

She merely nodded her head, a single tear rolling down her cheek. She was still shaken up by the events with Kouga and didn't feel comfortable being left alone for long. The half-demon brought her into an embrace and hugged her tightly to his chest. "I will never let anything happen to you," he promised, kissing the top of her head and reluctantly allowed her to pull away.

She gazed up into the golden hues of his eyes, searching for comfort. "Inuyasha," she whispered. His breath hitched in his throat at the sound of her voice. "Will you ... will you stay with me?" Concern protruded from the depth of her eyes and he could only nod his head. She unlocked the door and he followed her inside, shutting it behind him.

Kagome walked around the house, locking up the doors and windows that her family had left open, turning off a few lights in the process. She was nervous, to say the least. Never had she been so close to a guy before, let alone allow him in her house over night. But the feeling of Kouga's body pressed against her own refused to leave her mind. And even though she knew there was no way that the wolf demon would appear before her tonight, she was still a little freaked about being alone.

Hesitantly taking Inuyasha's hand, she led him upstairs to her bedroom. She flipped on the light and made it to her dresser to pull out a pair of pajamas. Squeezing the half-demon's hand, she brushed passed him and closed herself in the bathroom.

The dark-haired teen quickly changed and exited with a small blush on her visage. When she returned, Inuyasha had opened the window to allow a soft breeze through and had taken a place on her bed. She threw her clothes in the hamper and turned off the light before silently making her way over to the bed, the moon guiding her path. Inuyasha moved aside, allowing her to softly slip beneath the blanket.

He pushed the covers aside so he wasn't sitting on them, but did not venture beneath them to lay next to her. Instead, he gently held her in his arms in an attempt to bring her comfort. Unfortunately for them, Kagome's mind refused to let her fall into slumber and she kept shifting in his arms.

When thirty minutes had passed and she was still wide awake, Inuyasha decided now would be a good as time as any. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Kagome," he softly questioned, stroking her hair. She glanced up at him. "What happened ... to cause the scars ... for you to refuse to talk?"

Her expression immediately darkened and a guarded mask slipped over her face. She pushed against his chest, trying to escape the painful memories. Inuyasha wouldn't release his hold on her and his eyes willed her to respond. "You can tell me," he assured. It was silent for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. She wasn't sure if she should tell him, if she would be able to tell him. The pleading look in his amber gaze begged her to talk, to release all her anguish and heartache she had kept hidden.

Kagome sighed, knowing it was time. Inuyasha cared for her, she knew that much. It was time for her to finally let out her secret. The secret of that terrible night and it all started with saying the words. So with a heavy heart, she began to speak.

A/N: Yes, a cliff hanger. I am evil, but I had to do it. Sorry for this being so long of an update. Things have been really hectic around here with graduation drawing near. I had planned updating it earlier today, but work really is a pain in the rear. I would like a favor of you. Please read my new one-shot Picture. Its M/S centered and a bit on the long side, but its worth it. Anways, I made this chapter extra long because of the delay and to hold you over until the next update. Next chapter: the one you've all been waiting for. Kagome's past is revealed. Please review!


	14. Lifting a Heavy Burden

To those I couldn't reply to:

babygirl555: Well I'm really happy to see you 'love' this chapter. Even more so to see its your favorite one so far. Hope this one is just as good. And Kikyo should be coming into play soon enough, just when everything starts settling down for Kagome. Isn't that always how the evil ones are? Destroy everything once its perfect?

Cowpog: Thank you very much for adding this story to your favorite's list. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

Twilightluver04: Glad to see you're enjoying it. Yes, I know. As a reader, I hate cliff hangers too, but as a writer, I love them! Hope this chapter came quick enough. As for Sango, that will be revealed in the next few chapters. So look forward to that. Thanks!

**Speak**

**Chapter 14: Lifting a Heavy Burden**

- Seven Months Earlier -

It had been a normal day. Get up, shower, get dressed. Eat breakfast, bicker with brother, be scolded by mother. Kiss dad goodbye, hug mom goodbye, drag brother out the door. Go to school, take tests, sit through hours of class time. Hang out with friends, come home, do homework. Eat dinner, socialize with the family. Say goodnight, get ready for bed, and go to sleep.

But when Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she couldn't help but notice the burning sensation in her throat, she knew that this was not a normal day. Smoke surrounded her bed, laying a thick layer between her and the ceiling. Coughs sputtered from her lips as she turned over and used her hand to cover her nose and mouth. _Whats going on? _she thought, unable to voice her question aloud. Pushing herself to the edge of the bed, she rolled over and landed on the ground with a soft thud. It took a moment to get her bearings as every thought seemed hazy and unfocused. She pushed herself up to her hands and knees.

Her eyes roamed over her room, barely able to see through the smoke. With a cry of desperation, she laid her head against the soft mesh of her carpet and took long, slow breaths through a nearby vent, eager to get clean oxygen into her system.

A few moments passed as the haze faded from her mind and she could think clearly once more. Taking one last gulp of air, she turned her attention back to the crisis at hand. Remembering her mother had left for a business trip that morning and her grandfather was on a cruise with a bunch of his elderly friends, that left Kagome, Souta, and their father alone in the house. The way the smoke hovered overhead, she was convinced that something had happened, putting them all in danger.

Thinking about her brother's safety, she struggled to crawl towards her door and to the hallway beyond. Sirens echoed faintly from outside, but they were quickly whisked away as she poked her head around the corner. Suddenly, her entire vision was engulfed by flames. They were eating away at the furniture and carpet, devouring the house entirely. She turned her face away to avoid the burst of the scorching heat.

Coughs wracked her slender frame while her eyes teared from the smoke. "Souta," she called out, her voice raspy and dry. Her eyes glimpsed the direction of her brother's room and noticed the flames had yet to lay harm there.

Keeping her head low to the ground, she crawled over to Souta's door. She tore off the sleeve of her pajama shirt and wrapped it around her hand as a precautionary measure, just in case the door knob was hot. "Souta," she yelled again, opening the door. Her gaze roamed the haze of smoke in his room, trying to pinpoint where the ten-year-old could be hiding. A small figure was curled up beneath the bed covers, cowering from the thick smoke and fear rising within him. "Come on, get up!" She shuffled over to his bed and tugged the blanket off of him. His eyes widened with fear as he took notice of his sister.

Pulling on his arm, she gently dragged him to the floor, her heart pounding of how much danger they were in. "Keep your head down and follow me," she yelled to him, barely able to choke out the words. She received a curt nod in reply before turning back towards the way she came.

The siblings made their way out into the hallway once more, preparing the descend the stairs, when flames leapt up at them. They shrieked and tumbled backwards as Kagome shielded her brother's face. "We have to find another way out," she mumbled, not sure if Souta could hear her or not. Pulling him along, she changed course and headed towards her room, immediately crawling towards the window. She signaled for him to stay low as she stood up, squinting her eyes shut to avoid the smoke. Her fingers felt along the top of the window, searching for the lock.

Soot covered the glass, so thick she couldn't see to the outside. "Come on," she grumbled, coughing and tearing from smoke irritation. When she finally managed to locate the lock, she immediately shoved the glass pane open, allowing cool air to blow into the room and relieve the siblings of the horrendous grey smoke. Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes and gazed down at the scene before her.

Neighbors and kids littered the street, accompanied by a couple of fire trucks, two ambulances, and at leat a half-dozen police cars. The firefighters had hoses spraying water towards their home. Her eyes widened with realization.

Their house was on fire.

Panicking, she grabbed Souta and eased him out onto the roof. "Kagome?" he questioned, trying to keep himself steady on the loose shingles.

She cupped his chin in her hand to get his attention. "Listen to me, Souta," she said sternly, giving no room for argument. "It's going to be okay. They're going to help you." A rattled cough rippled through her throat as she inhaled another breath of smoke.

Shouts echoed from below and the siblings turned to see everyone pointing in their direction. It appeared as though someone had noticed them on the roof and were alerting emergency personnel to their situation. After only a few seconds of mumbled gasps from the crowded street, a ladder was set against the side of the house.

Souta's eyes found hers once more. "What about you?" he shouted over the roar of commotion beneath them.

His sister gave him a sad smile. "I'm going to help dad." As the fireman got closer to where they sat, she made sure her brother was safe before disappearing back inside. Her brother's savior shouted at her from the open window, pleading with her to come back, but she paid them no heed. It was too dangerous for them to rescue her father from the ground. She was the only one that could save him now.

Keeping her head low to the ground, she crawled towards her dad's bedroom, feeling a stinging sensation in her eyes and throat. His door was closed, preventing any harm from laying there, but she used her sleeve as a precaution once again. Her safety class in school last year really did come in handy.

When she crawled in and searched the dark depths of his bedroom, she found it to be absent of who she searched for. The bed covers were neatly made, evidence of being unoccupied all night. Confusion mixed with anxiety as panic seized her. "Dad?" she called, knowing there was little chance he could hear her. "Where are you?!" No response. Coughing, she quickly backed out into the hallway and made her way towards the stairs.

Her auburn eyes scanned the lower floor. As the flames licked at the walls and furniture, and the smoke hovered dangerously close overhead, Kagome spotted an older man lying on the floor in the living room, flames surrounding him. "Dad!" Kagome croaked, unable to scream his name. Blocking her face from the heat with her hand, she cautiously made her way down the stairs. She bit her lip to hold back the cries of agony as the flames leapt up at her and seared her skin.

It seemed as if time stood still as she traversed down the stairs and into the living room, ducking as a beam fell overhead. "Dad?" she yelled, her voice hoarse, as she knelt beside him. A groan from the ceiling indicated she didn't have long before the house collapsed on them. "Wake up," she pleaded, hoping for his eyes to open. Panicked, Kagome tried to shake his arm in an attempt to revive him, but it did nothing to help her case. It only sapped her strength and soon she found she could no longer hold herself up.

Another cough escaped her lips as she fell to her stomach, feeling the rough carpet rub against her cheek. Her eyes stared at her dad's face a final time, hearing the roar of the flames surround them in the distance. She knew this was the end. Struggling, she placed her hand on top of his, giving it a gentle rub, before allowing her eyes to close against the heat of the fire. "Dad," she mumbled a final time before unconsciousness drew her into its depths.

It was the last word she breathed.

- Present Time -

Kagome's eyes were fogged over with memories, tears spilling over her crescent moon eyelashes. Inuyasha had asked her to relive that terrible night, but he didn't realize she was put through that burning fire, the searing pain, and the heartache of losing her father every single time she closed her eyes to sleep. "They said it started because the furnace was leaking gas. Somehow, it had come in contact with a lighter of some sort and the whole house went up in flames."

Her face was damp from crying as she spoke, each word filled with heart-wrenching pain. Her hands gripped the half-demon's shirt tightly, refusing to look him in the eye. He stared down at her with a burning intensity, feeling as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

"The doctors said that with the burns I had gotten, it was a miracle I had survived. But dad ... " Kagome paused as she tried to continue, but instead, heavy sobs wracked her slender frame and she could only force out two words: seven months.

Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat. It had only been seven months since her father was taken away; seven months since she lost her voice; seven months since her world came crashing down. How could she be so strong? He held Kagome tighter as she wept, wanting to east her suffering. Soothing whispers were exchanged between them, trying to drive away the heartache. The hours drifted by slowly as she fell into a peaceful sleep, the sun rising to kiss her cheek and a new day began.

* * *

The half-demon woke up as the morning sun poured in through the curtains. Inuyasha grumbled against the intrusion and placed an arm over his eyes in an attempt to drive away the light. But it was of no use. He cracked open an eyes and glared at the window, hoping to scare the sun away for a few more hours. He muttered a curse under his breath before putting his arm back to his side.

Someone stirred beside him and it took a moment for his eyes to focus on the ebony-haired beauty curled up in the crook of his arm. The blanket that had covered her during the night had somehow been thrown to the foot of the bed, leaving Kagome slightly shivering as she burrowed deeper into his chest.

Giving a small smile at the sight, Inuyasha carefully unwrapped his arms from around her with slight difficulty. She mumbled in her sleep and stirred a bit, but otherwise made no motion to rise from slumber. He crawled off of the single bed, draping the cover over her for warmth. With all the tragedy and horror she had gone through last night with repeating a bad memory, he didn't want to leave her in fear she would wake up to find him gone. Instead, he took a seat on the window sill and watched the activities unfold outside. It appeared to be almost noon.

Kagome slept soundly for another forty-five minutes before she began to stirr, rolling over to get comfortable and sighing under her breath. Her brows furrowed in concentration as thoughts of the previous night flooded her mind. Suddenly, her heart pounding, she sat up in bed. "Inuyasha?!" she called, afraid to find him missing. Her eyes searched frantically about the room before resting on the half-demon. His hair and eyes radiated from the sun's glow and a breath of relief escaped her lips as she smiled.

Inuyasha glanced over at the sound of her voice and saw her sitting up, staring at him with a grateful glance. "What?" he asked, curious as to why she was looking at him that way. She only shook her head in reply. He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed, smiling at her drowsy expression. She was still under the effects of sleep. "Morning," he said softly, caressing her cheek.

She placed his hand against her face, feeling the warmth it gave off. "Good morning," she replied. Inuyasha's heart leapt at the sound of her voice, still overwhelmed with its beauty. It was no longer filled with the agony it had contained the night before, rather it was full of pure tranquility. It appeared as though telling her story had lifted a great burden on her heart. She moved the lower part of his palm to her lips, giving it a small, tender kiss. The young woman allowed him to pull her to her feet as he gave her a small peck on the forehead and brought her into a loving embrace, a smile blessing both of their faces. Her aura surrounded him, pushing away the feelings of worry, instead replacing them with the same calmness her voice held.

Reluctantly, Kagome broke away from him and journeyed to her closet. She rifled through all of her sweatshirts before pulling out a red t-shirt she had kept from her previous array of clothing before her father's untimely death. Grabbing a pair of jean shorts, she glanced back at Inuyasha before disappearing through her bedroom door. A moment later he heard the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on.

He smiled before grabbing her cell phone, seeing as how his phone was still dead. "Miroku should be up by now," he mumbled to himself, punching in his friend's number and listening to three rings before he finally picked up.

"Hello?" came a sleepy voice on the other end.

"Miroku, you lazy ass. Are you still sleeping?" Inuyasha yelled into the phone, his smile replaced by a scowl.

"Who is it?" a female voice asked in the background.

"It's just Inuyasha. Go back to sleep." The half-demon listened as he heard movement on Miroku's end.

"How's Kagome?" the woman questioned as her voice rose.

There was no mistake that the feminine voice belonged to Sango. "You lecher!" Inuyasha reprimanded. "So that's what you did last night after I left?" Kagome was hurting and all Miroku could think about was getting Sango into bed with him.

"No, wait Inuyasha!" Miroku screamed. "Nothing happened, I swear!" He must have placed his hand over the phone because he heard Miroku and Sango exchange a mumbled conversation. The pervert suddenly yelled and his phone dropped to the floor.

His moans replaced the quiet talking for a moment before Sango picked up the receiver. "Hey, Yash. What's up?" Her voice was so sweet and innocent that Inuyasha cringed.

"Uh ... Sango? Is Miroku okay?" he dared to ask, knowing her temper.

"Yeah, he's fine. Aren't you, Miroku?" The brunette must have given him a death glare because Inuyasha heard him grumbled something that sounded like a 'yes.' "Anyways, how's Kagome? She seemed kind of freaked last night. Did you hear from her yet today?"

It was an innocent question, but Inuyasha made the mistake of answering honestly. "Yeah. Actually, I spent the night at her house. She ... " He didn't get to finish as Sango rudely interrupted him.

"You spent the night over there?!" Of course she had to say it out loud. Her and her big mouth. Miroku began to talk his perverted mind off, which got him another beating from Sango.

After things settled down, Inuyasha sighed and tried to continue. "That isn't the point. We were talking last night and ... " He stopped mid-sentence as his ears perked up. The shower water had ceased running a moment earlier, meaning Kagome would emerge any second.

"And ... ?" Sango prodded impatiently on the other line.

"I'll tell you later. Gotta-go-bye!" His words jumbled together as he hung up. He put Kagome's phone back on her nightstand just as the young woman walked into the room, wringing out her damp hair with a towel.

Inuyasha was stunned by her appearance. She was absolutely beautiful. Her figure was adorned with shorts that reached mid-thigh, showing off her satin skin and her t-shirt was a rose red. And although the scars were visible along her body, he took no notice. They would forever be a part of her, and he would accept that. She giggled at his dumbfounded expression, but oh that sweet sound that escaped her lips, Inuyasha felt as if he had reached heaven's gates.

He quickly crossed the space between them and pulled her into his arms. She squealed in delight before he brought his lips to hers. Inuyasha loved the way she tasted, the way it felt to have her lips pressed against his. He didn't know she was thinking the same thing.

They finally broke apart, a light blush settling along Kagome's cheeks. She glanced at the ground, a smile playing on her lips. "You're turn," she whispered. He looked confused, but when she nodded towards the bathroom, he realized what she had meant. He smiled and made his way out the door to take a nice hot shower.

The half-demon allowed his thoughts to wander, all of them consisting of the young woman just down the hall. It troubled him that she had gone through such a horrible experience, that she had to live with the nightmares and the scars for the rest of her life. But her smile, the way she laughed, the moments in which her eyes held that sparkle ... he knew that she was going to be okay.

Kagome busied herself in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She wasn't sure what Inuyasha liked, but decided to make a batch of pancakes. A soft melody escaped her lips as she hummed her mother's lullaby. Without her realizing it, her thoughts were consumed by Inuyasha. He made her feel safe, that was for sure, but he did something else to her. He took her breath away with the simplest gestures, his amber eyes could melt the barrier surrounding her wounded heart, he helped her open up to him. Quite frankly, all of these things amounted to something she never thought would occupy her mind again. He made her feel happy.

The raven-haired beauty squeaked as arms came around her waist, hugging her close to who the appendages belonged too. She felt hot breath caress her neck and instantly relaxed, knowing Inuyasha was the one mumbling sweet nothings into her ear. He hugged her close to him, breathing in her scent. The moment was absolutely perfect. She smiled and continued making breakfast, finally seeing her life turn around.

A/N: The secret Kagome has kept bottled up during the entire story is finally revealed. Like? Dislike? Please let me know in a review. Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a fantastic Mother's Day!


	15. Visit From a Stranger

To those I couldn't reply to:

babygirl555: Yes, Kagome's life is unfortunately quite tragic. She lost her dad only a few months prior and she doesn't even seem to show grief. What concerns everyone, though, is the way she refuses to talk. The last words she spoke was to her father, so its understanding she wouldn't want to say anymore. But I am very happy to know that I've inspired someone to write their own story. It truly is amazing to see words flow across the page and know that you were the one who created such a piece. Anyways, I'm getting all mushy now. I'm glad you liked it and as long as you review, I'll keep replying. Promise!

nessa671: Thank you very much for taking the time out to leave a small review. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and I hope this update came out fast enough for you.

inu+kaglover4ever: Aw! I'm sorry, this chapter probably didn't come out before you finished. You can blame my hectic life for that. I'm glad you like it so far and thank you very much for the review.

**Chapter 15: Visit From A Stranger**

"Kagome, we're home," Ms. Higurashi called through the house, setting down her luggage in the process. Her father and Souta walked in after her, placing their bags on the floor in a huff.

"Next time, lets not bring so much stuff," the young boy whined, tuckered out from climbing such a long flight of steps.

Gramps shook his head. "If that woman hadn't called us out there on such a insufficient thing as a cold, then we wouldn't have packed at all." He continued grumbling about his youngest daughter, shuffling into the living room to turn on the television.

Ms. Higurashi shook her head. "Oh, father. You know that with Miyuki's condition, a simple sniffle could take a turn for the worse. We are very fortunate that my sister called us about her health." She smiled and placed her purse on the table before walking into the kitchen.

Souta slipped off his shoes and glanced around, noticing his mother and grandfather had both left him in the foyer to tend to the bags. "Why am I always stuck with the heavy stuff?" he mumbled aloud, grasping two bags in his hands and proceeded upstairs.

He made it into his room and placed his suitcase on the floor before struggling across the hallway to his grandfather's room. As he set the old man's luggage on the bed, a soft humming reached his ears. Curious as to who could be singing with such a beautiful voice, he followed the sound until he stood right outside his sister's door.

Knowing she wouldn't be too kind to him if she saw him sneaking around, he peered through the cracked doorway. Kagome sat at her desk, scribbling something down on notebook paper with a faraway look in her eyes. A smile tugged at her lips and for the first time since the accident, Souta could tell it was genuine.

He was stunned to say the least. No one had heard a sound from Kagome for seven months and suddenly she was humming? Swallowing against his nerves, the young boy pushed against the door until it swung open. "Kagome?" he called hesitantly, a little worried for his sister.

She turned around, startled by his sudden appearance, and flashed him a smile. Standing up, she quickly made her way across the room and enveloped her brother in a hug. "Gah!" Souta screeched in her arms, feeling as if the life was being crushed out of him. "Can't breathe!"

Hearing the young boy's complaint, she set him down and looked at him. He stumbled for a moment before turning his gaze to hers as a light chuckle escaped his lips. "Geez, Kags," he said, straightening his shirt. "What's gotten into you?"

Kagome's heart missed a beat. He hadn't called her that since before her father's death. It felt nice to hear it once more. It meant that everything was going to be okay between them. Without responding, she ruffled his hair and skipped out of the room, preparing herself to greet her mother and grandfather. Even though Inuyasha had spent the night, he had departed early that morning because of his brother's demands, and left Kagome quite lonely. She was glad her family had returned.

* * *

After hours of spending quality time with her mother and grandfather (they told her about their trip to visit her aunt), Kagome rushed out of the house towards a car parked at the bottom of the shrine steps. Sango sat in Miroku's vehicle, honking the horn a third time when she saw her friend emerge from the red archway. "Come on! Hurry up Kags!" she yelled out the window, a smile on her face.

The speechless girl slipped into the passenger seat just before Sango hit the gas pedal and sped away. They didn't realize that a pair of eyes were watching them from the park across the street.

Kikyo observed the girls as their car turned a corner and disappeared from sight. Her eyes returned to the shrine atop the hill. "So this is where that girl lives," she mused. It had been pure coincidence that she had walked by just in time to see Kagome run from the house. "Perhaps her mother would like a visit. Wouldn't you agree?" She glanced at the man behind her, seeing an affirmative grin, before proceeding to walk across the street.

She was determined to find out some answers. Throughout the school days, Kagome hadn't spoken a word. She may have not been friends with the girl, but Kikyo had noted how she hadn't said anything to Inuyasha or her other friends. This troubled her to the point of desperation.

After what seemed like an excruciating long time walking up the large flight of stairs, Kikyo arrived at the Higurashi's door, almost out of breath. She took a moment to compose herself before knocking softly, placing on a smile, and waiting patiently for someone to answer. "I'm coming," she heard a woman yell from within. Seconds later, the door opened to reveal an older woman. Her dark hair was cut short and her brown eyes were drowning in kindness. "Can I help you?" she asked, drying her hands on a dishtowel.

Kikyo stuck her hand out. "You must be Kagome's mom," she greeted politely. "My name is Kikyo. I'm one of Kagome's friends from school." Hesitantly, Ms. Higurashi stuck her hand out to shake the girl's. Her skin was ice cold and she couldn't help but feel that something wasn't quite right.

"Of course, come in," she mumbled, stepping aside to allow Kikyo entrance to her home.

The girl, which Ms. Higurashi noted looked similar to her daughter, gazed about the room. "My, you have a lovely home, Ms. Higurashi."

"Thank you," she responded politely, leading Kikyo to the kitchen and motioning for the girl to take a seat. "Would you like some tea?"

"That would be delightful," she replied, her eyes still glancing over the old structure of the shrine.

As Ms. Higurashi went about preparing tea, she stole a glance at Kikyo. "Its strange," she said aloud. "I've never heard Kagome mention you."

Kikyo had predicted this would come up during her visit. She had never even spoken to Kagome, let along become friends with her. If anything, she wanted to break the girl for stealing Inuyasha's affection. Of course, she couldn't exactly voice her true opinions to Kagome's mother, so she planted a grin on her face and lied through her teeth. "Oh, well we mostly just converse during school. My life keeps me plenty busy with my modeling job. We see each other every day during seventh period."

Ms. Higurashi listened intently as the tea continued to brew before hissing. She poured two cups, giving one to Kikyo, and sat down across from the girl. They each sipped the liquid a moment, allowing the warmth to slide down their throats. "This is absolutely delicious," Kikyo complimented, although her words seemed cold and heartless.

Kagome's mother eyed her suspiciously. It was one thing to be polite, but this girl was laying on the compliments extra thick. "Thank you. Its a special recipe passed down through the generations." She stared for a moment as Kikyo took another sip before voicing her thoughts. "I'm sorry to say that Kagome isn't available right now and probably won't be until after dark. Would you like me to tell her you came by?"

Kikyo shook her head and set her tea on the table. "Actually, I came to talk to you."

"I apologize for being rude, but why on earth would you need to speak to me?" She seemed rather surprised at the girl's words.

"I've noticed Kagome doesn't speak during school and I believe there is more truth behind it then simple shyness, as she has told me earlier. I'm only trying to understand what happened and perhaps help someone in need."

A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. "That is why you sought me out?" Ms. Higurashi clarified, trying to understand what the girl meant. "To help enlighten you?"

Kikyo gave a curt nod. "I believe that, being her mother and all, you would be able to assist me."

Ms. Higurashi sat back in her chair and shook her head. "I'm sorry I can not be of much help. I really think Kagome should be the one to tell you."

She managed to avoid panicking and kept a cool head. "Well, tell me, Ms. Higurashi, how will I be able to aid Kagome if she refuses to open up to anyone? I've tried a variety of options, but it's as if she put up a barrier around her heart. Please, I have come to you as a last resort."

They sat in silence for a moment as Ms. Higurashi pondered the young girl's statement. Should she tell this stranger all about her daughter's past? It felt wrong to, and every fiber in her being told her to reject the girl's plea. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt," she responded automatically, as if it wasn't her speaking. "But you must promise me you will not harm Kagome in any way." Her eyes darkened. "If you do, I will personally hunt you down and make you regret it." There was a warning tone in her voice, but she seemed to trust Kikyo. Her daughter had already been through enough and her life seemed to be getting back on track. She refused to allow Kagome to fall into anymore despair than she already was.

"Her father has recently passed away, about seven months ago," she began, keeping her eyes trained on her cup of tea. Kikyo sat patiently, hiding the smirk of success. "My father and I were away at the time, leaving Kagome, Souta, and my husband alone in the house. Somehow a fire started and everything went up in flames. Kagome was able to get my son out unharmed, but the cost was deadly. She bravely tried to save her father. However, when she arrived in the living room, she found the smoke inhalation had gotten to her and she fell unconscious. She barely survived, but ... " She choked back the tears threatening to fall. "But her father didn't make it. Kagome hasn't spoken since."

Ms. Higurashi dabbed her eyes with her fingertips to chase away the few tears that fell. Kikyo had listened intently to every detail, absorbing it like a sponge. She quietly set her cup down on the table, her lips drawn into a frown, and her eyes downcasted. "I am very sorry, Ms. Higurashi," she responded quietly, faking despair. "I had no idea." Her voice was as solemn as the look on her face.

A hand covered her own and she glanced up to see the older woman smiling. "It's okay, dear," she said. "Now you understand why Kagome acts the way she does. Hopefully the information I have given you will help Kagome find her voice again."

Kikyo smiled gently before standing up. "Thank you for your kindness and allowing me to know the truth. I appreciate it and I'll try my best to get through to Kagome." She hastily made her way to the door, Kagome's mother following close behind. "Again, I thank you," she repeated. Kikyo bowed slightly before disappearing through the doorway to the outside. Ms. Higurashi watched the girl nervously before shaking her head and closing the door behind her, unable to see the spark of vengeance in Kikyo's eyes.

* * *

Inuyasha had opted not to tell Miroku or Sango about Kagome's past. He was hoping she would have the courage to tell them herself. Besides, it wasn't his story to tell. If she had spoken to them, they hadn't mentioned anything. That meant Inuyasha was the only one who had heard her voice.

The half-demon growled in frustration as he continued to tap his foot repeatedly on the ground. He sat on the couch with his arms crossed, his eyes trained on the front door. Miroku leaned against the wall, watching his friend's irritated motions. "Calm down, Yash," he warned, smiling slightly. "The girls will be here soon. Besides, what's the rush? You seem anxious or something." It only took a glare from Inuyasha to quiet the lecherous boy down.

Another few minutes passed before his ears perked up, listening to footsteps as they approached the house. Inuyasha immediately jumped to his feet and hurried to the door, his heart pounding in his chest. He turned the knob and pulled it open, only to come face to face with his friend.

Sango stood on the porch with a startled look on her face. Her finger was poised near the side of the door in order to ring the doorbell. "Hey, Yash," she greeted in a confused tone. "What are you all excited about?"

He growled. "Just get inside, will ya?" he snapped, standing aside to let her in. She shot him a scowl but otherwise obliged by his wishes and made her way to the living room.

Kagome stepped in behind her, looking rather baffled by the way they had been greeted. Her eyes watched as the brunette sat down and crossed her arms, obviously irritated by the way Inuyasha had acted. She glanced at the half-demon, anxious for answers.

"What?" he asked softly. The scowl was still on his face, although it was no longer as prominent as it had been before. She rolled her eyes and followed after Sango, leaving him to close the door behind her.

The twosome made their way to the kitchen, where their friends had escaped to seconds earlier, and was met with the sight of the lecher with a hand print on his face. "That didn't take long," Inuyasha remarked, taking a seat next to Kagome. Miroku smiled sheepishly and rubbed a hand through his hair.

Sango shook her head and turned her attention to Kagome, who had a smile on her face. "So," she started, noting the way Inuyasha kept glancing at the silent girl. "What happened between you two last night?"

"Keh," Inuyasha retaliated. "I should be asking you two the same question."

Sango's face blushed a deep crimson. "I'd be happy to tell you," Miroku said with a grin. "You see -" He wasn't able to finish his sentence before he found himself on the ground with a bump on his head.

The brunette towered over him, her face full of embarrassment and rage. "Say one more word," she warned, raising a fist at his pleading eyes.

Kagome would later find out that the two had engaged in a passionate make out session, but Sango would refuse to reveal the details. She giggled at Miroku's predicament. "Kagome," she heard Inuyasha whisper in her ear. "You have to tell them." She turned to him, the smile slipping from her lips. Her eyes widened in fear.

"I can't," she choked out, so softly even a half-demon such as himself had to strain to hear. Her eyes pleaded with him, but they had both come to the same conclusion. Eventually, Sango and Miroku would find out, whether it be by her or some unfortunate circumstance.

Sango sat down again in a huff and glanced over at her friends, ignoring Miroku as he struggled to stand up, rubbing the back of his head with a pained expression. "What's the matter, Kags?" she asked, her fury replaced by concern.

The dark-haired girl drew her eyes from Inuyasha's amber pools and gazed at her best friend. She had to relive the nightmare at least one more time. The pain would surge through her veins and tears would spill from her eyes, but she would endure it. One more time.

She took a deep breath. "There was a fire," she mumbled, hesitating on continuing. She watched their expressions carefully.

Sango shook her head, confused. "I don't understand," she confessed, glancing over her shoulder to confirm Miroku's bafflement as well. "Kagome, you spoke." The girl smiled sheepishly in response.

"Judging by Inuyasha's reaction," Miroku said, taking a seat once more. "I believe he has already heard her talk. Perhaps she has even revealed more than just her voice."

The brunette's eyes wavered between the pair. "Whats going on?"

Inuyasha gave Kagome a small nudge after the silence had lasted for a few moments. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began her story. "Seven months ago, there was a fire ..."

Later that night

Inuyasha pulled up in front of Kagome's house. The moon lit the way and stars twinkled overhead. A cool breeze touched the trees, causing their leaves to flutter gently. He glanced at the girl next to him and took her hand in his. "You okay, Kagome?" he asked.

She drew her eyes away from the passenger window and looked at him. "Yeah, I think so," she mumbled softly. It had been a hard day. Reliving the painful memories of her father's death was hard while she was in solitude. She had told three people in a matter of forty-eight hours. Kagome was grateful, however, that her new friends did not shun her like the people at her old school. After the truth of her past was revealed, the remainder of the night had been filled with laughter and comfort.

They made her smile when she didn't want to. They made her happy when all she desired was to allow the earth to swallow her whole. They were her friends and they had done more for her over the course of a few days than most people have done in a lifetime.

Inuyasha released her hand and brushed his clawed fingers against her face, causing a shiver to race down her spine. "Thank you," she whispered, smiling at his simple gestures.

"Keh," he responded half-heartily. "I didn't do nothin'."

She shook her head. He had been so kind to her since she met him. It almost felt as if she didn't deserve anything he did for her. She leaned forward and gave his lips a gentle kiss, breaking away after a brief moment. "Good night," she whispered, allowing her breath to caress his cheek.

Kagome pulled away from him and moved to open the passenger door. "Night," he replied as she got out and began her long ascent up the shrine steps. He watched her until she made it to the top. She turned around and waved before disappearing through the red arch. He waited a few moments before smirking, setting the car in gear, and driving off into the night.

They had no idea their world would come crashing down the following day.

A/N: I know I was saying I was going to finish up Through Blood and Tears before I updated anything else, but I've decided to update as I finish different chapters. Speak has been really nagging at me, so chapters will probably becoming out faster than usual. Hope you liked it. Please review!


	16. Burning Lies

To those I couldn't reply to:

babygirl555: Oh don't worry about the review problem. I've had plenty of trouble with my computer and this website. I swear, they're out to get me. But at least I get an extra review because of the screw up. ;b Well, I'd like to say good always wins, and hopefully in this story it will, but that's not always the case. If you read my story Through Blood and Tears, you'll find that not everyone gets a 'happily ever after.' And if you think these cliff-hangers are good (or bothersome, depending on how you look at it) then go read TBAT. I think almost every chapter ends with a cliffy. lol. No, its not strange at all to call someone by those names. My friend does it all the time and it ain't that bad. Now, as for the Sango/Miroku romance, I can't exactly give away details, now can I? But I will tell you that this story is based on Kagome, so it will be centered around her POV, so to say. If any romance occurs between SM, it will kind of be back stage or off to the side. You'll only see minor altercations. But I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Twilightluver04: Wow! I'm glad to see you've been enjoying it. Sango and Miroku's little 'romantic involvement' is only going to pop up every now and then. Kind of like in the background where you'll hear something mentioned about how far their relationship has been taken. This is only because this story is mainly focused on Kagome's life and how she copes with the changes. As for Kikyo, you'll really hate her at the end of this chapter. Thanks for the review, though, glad you're still reading.

Charli2006: I'm not only glad that you think this story is 'cool,' but I'm ecstatic to learn that you're still reading (and enjoying it) even though I've caused you trouble by switching websites. I do apologize for that, but hey, keeping two websites up to date, writing, and having a life is a bit difficult these days. But I suppose that's just how it goes. If only I got to live five lives ... that would make things a whole lot easier.

brownsugar1213: I suppose you didn't feel like logging in when you reviewed, did you? lol. Oh well, I sent my thanks for adding it to your favorite's list. I'm thrilled to know that you're enjoying this story so much. It makes me all warm and fuzzy. So thanks for taking a minute to leave a review. Its much appreciated.

erica: OMJ? I don't think I've heard of that expression before. lol. I'm guessing its similar to OMG? Anyways, I must say that although I had a good day, your review was the icing on the cake. I always love getting ecstatic reviews from fans, expressing how much they like my work. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. But I'm glad you're enjoying it and that you've become a 'HUGE' fan. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much, but you may be a little mad at Kikyo.

**Speak**

**Chapter 16: Burning Lies**

Monday rolled around rather quickly. It felt as if the weekend flew by and now the gang found themselves entering the school doors once more. During their few days of knowing each other, Kagome and Inuyasha had become quite close and she felt as if she could trust him with her life. From her experiences over the years, that didn't happen too often.

The couple strolled through the hallways, their hands entwined. A few people bothered to glance their way. It was obvious their fellow peers were startled and surprised at the close proximity the two of them shared. Kagome had been the strange new girl a few days ago and Inuyasha was the big-shot who had broken up with Kikyo. It was rather unsettling.

"So do you think you'd be able to go?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome smiled and pondered his offer. He had just finished telling her that him, Sango, and Miroku went out of the city for an overnight trip during their winter break. It was still a long ways off, but plenty of notice was always appreciated. "I'm not sure," she responded truthfully. "I'll talk it over with my mom." She squeezed his hand affectionately.

The half-demon smirked and turned away, only to come face to face with his friend. "Hey, Yash," Miroku called over the expanse of hallway. He jogged over with his bag, nearly colliding with a teacher.

"Hey," he responded dully.

Kagome took note that the lecher's face was absent of his personal face mark. "Where's Sango?" she questioned.

"Stayed home sick today. She believes it has something to do with what she ate last night. She didn't call you?" Kagome shook her head, smiling when she realized the only reason why Miroku didn't have a hand print on his face was because Sango wasn't there to give it to him.

The trio made their way to Kagome's locker. Inuyasha opened it for her (she still couldn't get the hang of punching it) and waited patiently for her to grab the necessary books. "It was probably the Ramen ... " Miroku mumbled aloud.

Inuyasha growled and swiveled to face him. A yelp echoed through the hallway. "Keh," he growled, taking Kagome's hand and dragging her to first period. "Serves you right."

The dark-haired girl glanced over her shoulder to see Miroku sprawled out on the ground with a lump on the head. "You didn't have to do that," she reprimanded.

"See ya at lunch, Miroku!" the half-demon called over his shoulder, ignoring the man's groans of pain.

* * *

The day passed slowly, but finally sixth period came. Kagome was rather bored through her daily lessons. Sango hadn't been there to cheer her up or help her along and Miroku had been rather bothersome with the numerous sighs. It was obvious that without the spunky brunette around, his days didn't seem as bright.

Even though her thoughts were down concerning her friends, her smile brightened as Inuyasha walked her to class after lunch. He held her hand affectionately, something she learned from Miroku was rarely something the half-demon did. Apparently, him and Kikyo had never shown such affection towards each other during school hours. However, no one knew what they did afterward.

But her smile quickly dropped and fear began bubbling up inside of her as she neared her classroom door. The memories from Saturday night were still fresh in her mind and she could still feel Kouga pressed up against her at the club. Inuyasha noticed her reaction and his eyes filled with concern. "Kagome," he began, slowing his pace until he was standing still and turned to look at her. "Its alright. He won't lay a hand on you at school. I'll be waiting right outside the door after class, okay? Nothing is going to happen."

She allowed him to hug her gently, almost protectively, in order to calm her fears. He felt a slight nod against his chest as the warning bell rang. They drew apart and spared each other a final glance before disappearing into their designated classrooms.

Kagome timidly walked through the doorway, quickly scanning the seats. To her dismay, there were only two places available, both of them next to Kouga. She gathered as much courage as she could before walking briskly down the seemingly long aisle and taking her seat. She refused to meet the wolf demon's eyes as she sat down, mentally preparing herself to channel all of her attention into the teacher's lecture.

Unfortunately for her, Kouga wouldn't have any of it. Throughout the entire class period, he probed her with questions and statements, insulting Inuyasha quite a few times. She wished that he would just leave her alone, or perhaps disappear all together, but that was highly unlikely. So instead she sighed and tried her best to ignore him. The image of a certain half-demon came to mind as she daydreamed, allowing herself to be whisked away from the awful place into the comforts of her own thoughts.

Her mind flickered across the short but sweet moments the two of them shared. He allowed her to rub her ears, even though he barely knew her. That in itself was a huge accomplishment. And then there was that sparkle in his eyes whenever he was up to something mischievous. He held her in his arms as if to protect her from the world, he made her laugh when she wanted to cry, and he made her find her voice after such a long time of being silent. She sighed happily as Kouga tossed out another insult concerning the man of her dreams.

To Kagome's relief, the bell rang a few minutes later and she immediately picked up her books and dashed out of class. She rounded the doorway, hoping Inuyasha would be waiting, but to her disappointment he hadn't arrived yet. The feeling of someone following her burrowed itself in the pit of her stomach as she quickened her pace towards the half-demon's classroom. Fear began to overwhelm her, knowing exactly who was behind her. A hand gripped her arm tightly and swung her around to face his bright blue eyes.

"Hey, Kagome, where are you off to in such a hurry?" She winced as Kouga's hand closed around her wrist more firmly. "Look, I know we had a bad night on Saturday. Didn't mean to frighten you. Can we start over?" Her eyes pleaded with him to let her go, but he refused to comprehend. A slight smirk appeared on his lips as he pressed his body closer to hers, almost touching. Images of Saturday night came flooding back and Kagome found it hard to breathe.

"Kouga!" someone yelled across the hallway. Relief overcame her when she recognized the familiar voice. "I told you never to lay a hand on her again!" The wolf demon immediately released his grip on her arm as Inuyasha rushed over and stood in front of Kagome protectively. She smiled gratefully, but he didn't see it, as he was too busy glaring at his rival.

His smirk broadened at Inuyasha's reaction, but Kouga walked off, leaving the half-demon fuming. "Damn bastard," he muttered under his breath, taking Kagome's hand and leading her to their seventh period class.

* * *

Ten minutes remained of the class and the students talked quietly to one another. The teacher had finished his lesson for the day and had already assigned the homework, leaving everyone to decide for themselves whether or not to use their time wisely.

Kagome smiled as Inuyasha told her about the time he first learned to cook and almost burnt the house down. It had involved something as simple as boiling water, but somehow he had managed to cause a fire. She wasn't too keen on the idea of flames, considering what she had gone through, but he made it seem funny rather than dark and scary. A light giggle fluttered in the air and the half-demon couldn't help the growing smile. He loved the way her laugh sounded.

She suddenly stopped and placed her hand on her stomach. "You okay?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"I'm fine," she answered with a slight nod. "I'm going to use the bathroom. Be right back." She squeezed his hand gently as she ambled up to the teacher's desk. "May I have a pass to the washroom please?" Inuyasha snickered at her politeness.

The professor mindlessly wrote a pass for her, not even taking the time to look up from his book. Kagome rolled her eyes for Inuyasha to see and he smirked at the action. "Thanks," she mumbled, hurrying out of the classroom and down the hall towards the bathroom. Little did she know she was being followed.

Less than a minute after Kagome left, Kikyo and Naraku got into a heated discussion before Inuyasha's ex stood up and walked to the front of the room. He didn't pay much attention, considering he wanted nothing to do with her, but his ears managed to pick up the words 'sick' and 'nurse.' He pushed all thoughts of Kikyo aside and allowed his mind to wander to Kagome. He didn't even realize the accomplished glare Naraku sent his way.

* * *

Kagura hurried out of her classroom after receiving a text from Kikyo. "Sheesh, so demanding," she mumbled to herself. Although, she couldn't exactly bitch. Kikyo had warned her that the time would be unexpected. After all, they had been waiting for this moment ever since Friday, and finally it had come. "Alright, I'm here," she greeted with a scowl as she walked up to Kikyo. She was waiting outside the girls' bathroom.

Her friend frowned. "Its about time. I thought she would be gone by the time you got here."

"Would you just shut up? I'm here, aren't I?" Kagura retaliated, receiving a cold glare in response.

Kikyo let her eyes roam the empty hallways, making sure the coast was clear, before slipping inside the bathroom with Kagura in tow. One stall was closed and, glancing downward, Kagura saw Kagome's white gym shoes peeking out.

Kagome exited the bathroom stall and made her way to the sink. She hated getting her period during school hours. Although, she had been lucky enough that it had waited until the last class of the day. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to hide the embarrassment.

Her hand reached to turn on the faucet, but a cold voice stopped her. "I know you're secret," a woman spoke, causing shivers to run up the quiet girl's back. Kagome spun around to be met with Kikyo's icy stare. Her eyes widened in realization as she processed what the girl had said. She knew her secret? Did she mean the night her dad died? The reason she didn't speak?

Another girl stepped out from behind Kikyo, although Kagome couldn't recall what her name was. She tried to swallow back the fear beginning to take place in the pit of her stomach. It was a public place. A school for crying out loud! She was perfectly safe ... wasn't she? Without her knowing it, she had slowly taken steps backwards until she was forced against the cold concrete wall behind her, farthest from the door.

"It seems we have a little problem, Kagome," Kikyo continued, not at all fazed by the terror protruding from her victim's eyes. She took a few steps closer as she spoke. "See, you stole my beloved boyfriend away and that hurts. You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?" Her voice was laced with a fake sweetness, as if she were talking to a small child. Kagura came closer to Kagome in a different direction until the twosome had cornered her.

"Inuyasha hates you and sent me to give you the message. He couldn't bear to break your heart, but you just go so clingy to him. So he let me in on your past." With those words, Kikyo pulled something out of her pocket. It took a moment for Kagome to realize what it was, but when a flame shot out of the square object, there was no doubt that it was a lighter. "The night your father died. The fire scarring your skin and the smoke burning your lungs." Her stomach became queasy as beads of sweat slid down her temple.

"I'm sorry, Kagome, but Inuyasha and I, we're meant to be. I would do anything that he asks of me." She paused as Kagome slid down to the floor and curled her knees to her chest, watching as the single flame drew closer. "Remember that it was his idea. Inuyasha put me up to this." Kagura knelt down and gripped one of her arms tightly, holding it out in front of her while using the rest of her weight to restrain their captive. Kagome tried to struggle, but ultimately found it no use.

She pleaded with her eyes, trying to beg for Kikyo to stop the torment. However, the one time she wanted to use her voice, it was gone. She couldn't speak and her body was paralyzed with fear. "Inuyasha said its for your own good."

Kagome didn't know Kikyo that well, but for some strange reason, she believed every word that spewed from her lips. _Inuyasha wanted this?_ She repeated in her thoughts. _He said I was too clingy? But ... why? _The woman was right in front of her now, kneeling down so they were eye-level, the flame inches from the crook of Kagome's elbow. "Don't you dare scream," Kikyo warned in a threatening voice. "Or you'll regret it."

Scream? Why would she need to scream? She was so confused as to what she meant. Then she felt it. Searing pain shot through her arm as she glanced down at the source. Tears immediately began falling from her eyes, blurring her vision, but she could still make it out. Her arm was being burned by Kikyo's own doing. Her gaze found Kagura's, as if to plea for help, but the girl had turned away, unable to watch the gruesome deed.

The victim closed her eyes and bit her lip, trying to keep from screaming out. _Inuyasha wanted this. He wanted me in pain._She chanted in her thoughts, replaying Kikyo's words over and over again. Her dream flooded back to her. She couldn't move, she couldn't see, and she couldn't speak. The smell of burning flesh infiltrated her nose as the pain increased, but the room was eerily silent. All Kagome had was her mind.

After what felt like an excruciating long time, Kagome felt the arms that held her down release. She peered through her eyes to see Kikyo standing, looking satisfied at what she had done. Kagura, on the other hand, looked ashamed. Was she all part of this ploy as well? Kagome's eyes left theirs and glanced down at the large second-degree burn on the inside of her forearm. The agony was overwhelming and her only desire at that moment was to soothe it.

She began to stand up when Kikyo's voice stopped her. "And don't you dare breathe a word about this to anyone, or you will have to answer to me." With that, a rare smiled crossed her lips as she quickly checked the hallways before her and Kagura exited together. Kagome's mind was jumbled, trying to figure out what exactly had occurred. However, she had little time to dwell on the thoughts as the burning sensation only grew. She stood up and ran over to the faucets, turning on the water.

Unfortunately, the school was not keen on the idea of wasting water on reckless students, so the pipes closed after a few seconds of running water continuously. So Kagome went to each faucet, allowing the cold water to cool her skin. When it shut off, she simply shifted sinks. Silent tears had fallen throughout the entire episode, dripping soundlessly off her chin onto the tile below. She didn't even take the time to wipe them away.

When she ran out of sinks, Kagome leaned her back against the wall, holding her throbbing arm to her chest. The injured girl stood there a moment, allowing her silent cries to be heard, wincing with each strike of pain. She wanted to scream, wanted to do something to make the agony go away. Then she realized that the pain wasn't only from the burn. It was also from her heart. Inuyasha had wanted to hurt her. She fell into a fit of quiet sobs as she thought about him, how happy he made her, and then saw the vision get torn to shreds. Without her knowing it, she had started to fall for the brash half-demon.

Suddenly, she was startled from her thoughts as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. She didn't know what she was going to do, she didn't know how everyone would react, but she knew she wanted to go home. Back to the safeness of her room, back to having her thoughts only to herself, and back to a life before she met Inuyasha.

Kagome ran out of the bathroom and through the halls as kids began pouring out of the classrooms, her arm still clutched to her chest and tears still streaming down her face. That's when she saw him. Inuyasha was one of the first kids out of their class and had Kagome's stuff with him. "Hey, Kagome," he greeted when he saw her running towards him. His mood quickly shifted as he smelled the scent of tears and something burning. "What's wrong?" He took a few steps forwards, genuinely concerned about her.

She ran pass him, making the mistake of looking into his eyes. They were filled with worry and pain, but Kagome pushed them aside, seeing them only as hatred. She wanted to run into his arms, have him hold her tight, and make everything better. But she knew she couldn't. So she dropped her gaze, ran away from him, and out the doors into the afternoon sunlight. His voice called after her and she knew he would follow, but she kept running.

Her dream flitted through her mind once again as she ran, pushing herself harder and breathing harder as she heard the pound of footsteps running after her. She knew the direction to her house by heart and ran as if her life depended on it. She ran until her legs went numb, until she felt as if her lungs were going to explode.

Inuyasha took off after her as soon as she was through the school doors. He knew he could catch up easily and damn it all if he didn't find out what was wrong. "Kagome!" he yelled after her, only making it a couple of blocks before he was within arms reach. "Whats wrong?"

He grasped her arm and pulled her towards him. Kagome turned around to face him. "Let me go!" she screeched, hot tears streaming down her face as she struggled within his grasp. "Let me go!"

"Not until you tell me whats going on!" The half-demon tried to bring her into an embrace, to soothe whatever agony she felt, but it was of no use. She would only push him away, doing everything to free herself from his arms.

"Inuyasha!" she pleaded with him, shutting her eyes. Suddenly, in her rage, she found her hand moving swiftly towards his face and a resounding 'smack' echoed through the area. She opened her eyes to see what she had done, only to find Inuyasha staring at her at surprise. Kagome's struggling had ceased when she hit him and his arms fell from around her.

Timidly, she retracted her arm and took a step back. "Stay away from me," she whispered softly, before taking off in the direction of her house once more.

He watched after the woman for a moment before bringing a clawed hand to his cheek, feeling the heat radiate from where her palm had made contact. His mind couldn't wrap around the concept, awestruck by her strange reaction. "What the fuck?" he growled, almost angrily. How dare she hit him! He didn't even know what he had done to deserve such treatment!

Kagome finally reached her house and ran up the shrine steps, immediately dashing towards the front door. She got inside and slammed the door shut, not taking the time to see if Inuyasha had followed her. Swiftly, she turned the lock and leaned her back against the wall, listening to the silence in the air.

"Open up, Kagome!" the half-demon yelled through the door. So he had followed her after all. He began pounding his fists against the wood as she turned her head away, not ashamed of the tears coursing down her cheeks. "What's wrong? Talk to me!" Unable to take his cries of confusion, she went upstairs into the bathroom, knowing the half-demon still waited outside her home.

She winced slightly when she held her arm under cold water and wrapped a length of gauze around it. The poorly done first-aid would have to do for the time being. The heart-broken girl went into her room and pulled out a sweatshirt, quickly throwing it over her t-shirt. It hid the burn on her skin. Already she had drawn attention to herself for not being able to speak. Having an injury would only further the gossip.

Making her way over to the open window, she paused a moment. "Kagome," she heard Inuyasha call from below, his voice softer. "I don't understand." She peered out and saw him standing against the door. He pounded his fist once more. "Damn it, woman! What the hell did I do?"

With a deep breath, she slipped back inside and listened to his pleas, trying to ignore the desire to run to his side and apologize. _Inuyasha wanted this ... _she reminded herself, replaying Kikyo's words in her mind. A determined expression crossed her face as she turned to the window once more and closed it. She shut out the sound of Inuyasha's voice, the pain he had caused her, and the memories they shared. She shut out the world.

A/N: Calm down! You're all probably pretty upset with Kikyo right now, although I'm sure you were already mad at her during the previous chapter, but there isn't much I can do about it. And don't use the excuse "you wrote it, of course you can do something about it!" Just take a deep breath and calm down. I would say more, although that would be giving away the rest of the story. So I hope you enjoyed it ... sort of. Let me know and please review!

**Side note**: I am now a manager of my own **C2**! If you need a _good_ read to hold you over until the next update, check out the stories from **Diamonds in the Rough**. I've read all of them and they are the _best_ of the _best_. Hope you enjoy!


	17. Broken

To those I couldn't reply to:

jacob: I have to be completely honest with you, that was the most random review I've ever gotten. lol. What does a ring-tone contest have to do with the plot of the story? Oh well, it made me smile a bit, after getting over the initial surprise. Thanks for the strange, yet smile-giving review.

babygirl555: Well, I don't know if I'd be able to make you a character. That would have required me to introduce her quite a few chapters ago. Oh well, you can pretend to beat her up mentally, right? It is really sad when some people harm themselves because of bullying. I mean, even with bulimia and anorexia ... Its sad that a lot of people think being skinny where your bones are poking through the skin is beautiful. Kind of disgusting really, but I suppose its got to do with pressure from other people. Anyways, you don't have to read my other story. Just a suggestion. But if you like Speak, TBAT is my next best one and then SBT, so if you ever get bored, take a crack at them. And if you get tired of my work, try looking at my community. The stories there are the best of the best that I've read in the Inuyasha fandom. Personally, I don't mind Miroku. Then again, I never really got into the manga until after the show was over. So I can't really say anything about him. But he's always nice for a good laugh.

erica: I can understand what you mean about being angry with Kagome, but you have to look at it from her perspective. She had been tortured by her so called friends at her old school because she was so overcome with grief that she no longer spoke. So suddenly there's this group of people who are almost immediately her friends and for her, its too good to be true. Thus, when Kikyo says Inuyasha wanted to hurt her, she believes her, no matter how unlikely it seemed. I have to agree, though, it is a bit sad. Anyways, thanks again for the review and sticking by the story. Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

**Speak**

**Chapter 17: Broken**

It was a strange feeling. To have someone you care about turn at you, screaming to leave them alone, and then lock you out of their house. Inuyasha sat on Kagome's door step for almost an hour before his ears picked up the sound of an approaching car. The scent in the wind told him it was one of Kagome's relatives. Not wanting to be caught outside the house when he just got a door slammed in his face, he made his way around the perimeter of the shrine before walking back towards the school.

He grumbled to himself, trying to understand the purpose behind Kagome's actions. He didn't recall doing anything wrong, or making her upset in any way. Come to think of it, they had been laughing together right before she went to the bathroom. Inwardly he cringed. The topic of conversation they had probably wasn't the best. He knew she didn't like the idea of flames or a fire, so speaking about the time he almost burnt the house down would probably make her uneasy.

But she had been crying. Did it affect her that much? He shook his head. Nothing made sense anymore. But one thing was certain. He was determined to find out what the hell he had done wrong and fix it, no matter what it took.

As he came to that conclusion, his phone began vibrating in his pocket. "What?!" he answered with a growl.

"Well, it seems as if someone had a bad day," Miroku replied over the phone. Inuyasha could hear the smile in his voice.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Sheesh, there is no need to get hostile, Yash." There was a pause. "Is there?"

Inuyasha growled again. "Damn it, of course there is!"

Miroku seemed to ponder this a moment. "I have a feeling this has something to do with Kagome." The half-demon sulked for a moment before telling his friend the entire episode. "What did you do?" was his immediate response.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?!" Inuyasha yelled into the phone.

"Well, _you_ were the last one to see her and she locked _you_ out of the house. It must have been something _you_ did."

Miroku was being practical, but Inuyasha was too outraged to hear his reasoning. "I didn't do anything wrong! I've tried calling her, but she won't answer." Frustration seemed to have seeped into his mind and refused to let go. The girl he cared for was one minute laughing beside him and the next she refuses to speak to him. Something was up. "I don't know, Miroku. I have a feeling there is more to it."

The lecher sighed on the other line. "Let me see if Sango can get through to her. I'll call you back if I hear anything." He hung up before Inuyasha had a chance to protest.

"Thanks for nothing," he mumbled to himself as he shut his phone and continued towards the school's parking lot.

* * *

Stars twinkled overhead as Inuyasha drove down the deserted street. Miroku had called moments earlier, saying neither he nor Sango could reach Kagome. Angry and confused, the half-demon jumped into his car and sped towards the shrine, determined to find out what was wrong.

He turned off the engine and got out, quickly sprinting up the steps to the small house at the top of the hill. His eyes glanced over the dark windows, noting how only a small light was on in the kitchen. Something was definitely off. He stopped at the door and knocked twice, stepping back to wait patiently for someone to answer.

Footsteps approached the door before it was swung open, revealing a small old man. "Who are you?" he asked gruffly, his eyes narrowing and glancing over the new comer.

"Inuyasha," he replied curtly, not interested in formalities at the moment. "Kagome home?"

The old man seemed to ponder his words for a moment, even crossing his arms and closing his eyes. Inuyasha was about to speak up again, but the man moved first. His eyes flew open with a heated glare and suddenly he was pointing at the visitor. "Demon!" he screeched. "You are the cause of my granddaughter's torment!"

With a swift movement, he slammed the door in his face and Inuyasha picked up the sound of receding footsteps. His face twisted into a puzzled expression. "Okay ... " he mumbled hesitantly. Exactly what had the old man so spooked? Didn't he realize that in this day and age, demons were common around town? Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and raised his fist to knock once more, only to have the door open again.

The old man stood before him, a small pot in his hand. "Be gone!" he yelled, taking handfuls of powder and throwing them at him. "Leave this place, you evil creature!" Kagome's grandfather began chanting incoherent words, continuing the onslaught.

"Watch it, old man!" Inuyasha said, holding his hands over his head and squinting his eyes against the dust. "Damn it, would ya stop that already?"

When the man saw that his powder was having no effect, he dropped the bowl with a slightly surprised expression and dug into his kimono pocket. "I see you are a strong one. Well, you are no match for my Sacred Sutras!" With a grunt, he jumped up and slapped a paper on Inuyasha's forehead, leaping back and watching his target anxiously.

Inuyasha was stunned for a moment, his eyes widening against the sudden intrusion. He snapped out of his trance and frowned, furrowing his brows, and growling low in his chest. He peeled off the piece of paper in annoyance. "What the hell are you tryin' to pull?" he demanded, letting the 'sacred sutra' flutter to the ground.

Kagome's grandpa took a step back. "You demon!" He made his way back inside, his face seeming to have paled in Inuyasha's presence. "You shall see Kagome only over my dead body!" With that, he slammed the door shut and the final light in the kitchen went out, leaving the half-demon staring at the door.

He scratched his head and placed a hand on his hip, closing his eyes to contain his anger. It would do no good to blow up at Kagome's family. That would only cause them to shut him out quicker. Hell, the way the old man attacked him, he wouldn't doubt that the police were just down the street, ready to arrested the 'horrible demon'. "Damn geezer," he mumbled, opening his eyes and peering around him once more. He glanced up to Kagome's room, which he could tell was hers just by the scent in the wind.

The window was dark. His ears flickered atop his head, but he couldn't detect any movement from within. Deciding not to push his luck, he turned around and stalked down the shrine steps. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he would see her in school the next day. He'd just have to live with the confusion for one night and tomorrow he would make her tell him. With an affirmative nod, he reached the street and got into his car, driving away without so much as a backwards glance.

* * *

The next morning, Inuyasha immediately began pushing his way through the crowded hallway towards Kagome's locker. He was still agitated over the old man's intrusion the night before and even after enduring all of that, he still didn't get any answers. Merely, he got a mouthful of strange powder and a sore spot in his forehead. Not his idea of a fun time.

His eyes found the girl he was looking for as she gently placed her books into her locker. Her face held no expression and for some odd reason, her scent was off. No longer did she smell of blooming cherry blossoms. It was as if they had died and been swept away from their branches. It made his heart ache.

Inuyasha walked over to her, intending to hold her in his arms, comfort her fears, and find out why she had turned him away. All of these things he was going to do for her where forgotten as she closed her locker and turned to him.

Those twin pools of auburn that usually shown so brightly were gone. Instead her eyes were dull and lifeless, no longer holding the depth of an ocean. He couldn't sense any fear or pain coming off of her. Come to think of it, he couldn't sense any emotion at all. It was as if she had completely shut down.

"Kagome," he called, reaching out a hand, but not close enough to touch her. Her head turned to where his voice came from and relief flooded through his veins. Perhaps she would be willing to talk to him after all.

But the ease he felt vanished as she merely stepped to the side of him, venturing towards her first period class. His stomach lurched as he stared where she had been before whirling around, watching her walk away. Miroku came up to him just then, as well as a worn out Sango. "Hey, Yash," he greeted solemnly. His normal perky and outgoing attitude was gone, replaced by a frown. It appeared he didn't even have the energy to touch the brunette, as his stylish face mark was absent from his cheek. It seemed as though Kagome's condition had turned everything upside down.

Sango placed a hand on his arm. "Is she okay?" she asked, concerned for her friend.

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't know." The trio stood there and stared after Kagome, watching as she disappeared around a corner. With their hearts heavy in their chests, they unwillingly began their trek to their respective classes, their attention focused solely on the shy girl who had opened up to them in only a week's time. What had happened to change Kagome's attitude so drastically?

* * *

Her face held a fragile mask as she ambled into school. Her heart beat without emotion, as if it had been crushed and no longer worked. Her body was numb, but she still managed to go through the motions of everyday life. She watched as her hand reached up and pulled a book off the top shelf of her locker. She saw herself shutting the door. But to her, it wasn't her.

"Kagome?" Someone called out her name, but Kagome never heard it. She was burrowed deep within the corners of her mind. This new girl, the one with no emotions or feelings, had taken over. She walked right pass Inuyasha and her former friends. The Kagome they knew was gone, scared to venture out into the world once more.

She never spoke, never listened, and never felt anything. She paid no heed to the pain from the burn as it rubbed up against the inside of her sweatshirt. It was as if she was just an empty shell, discarded by an empty soul.

* * *

Throughout the day, Inuyasha had desperately tried to get some kind of reaction out of Kagome, but always came up empty handed. Her eyes were focused solely on the teacher's lecture, although she never took notes or opened her textbook. To what he saw, she didn't even flinch.

She never showed up to lunch and very rarely had he seen her in the halls like usual. Whenever he could catch a glimpse, he watched her every movement, his heart heavy with concern. He continued to bottle up his frustration and anger, sometimes drawing blood as he clenched his fists. He felt so hopeless, knowing that there wasn't much he could do. But damn it all to hell if he didn't at least try.

He longed to hear her laugh or even a simple smile. Unfortunately for him, she never did. Sango and Miroku had tried to talk to her or figure out what had gone wrong, but they had gotten similar responses. It was no use. She appeared to have the lights on, but nobody was home. And it was tearing them apart.

Inuyasha went to meet up with her after sixth period, unsure if Kouga would try another stunt. He hurried out of his classroom and walked up to where she always was, only to see Kagome pressed up against a row of lockers with the wolf demon leaning over her. He spoke seductive words to her before brushing his lips lightly over hers. Furious, the half-demon stalked in their direction. "Kouga!" he yelled, letting himself vent his anger upon him. "What the hell do ya think you're doin'?!"

Kouga broke the kiss and turned in Inuyasha's direction. "Give it a rest already, mutt. I'm just havin' a little fun." The half-demon clutched his hand into a fist, ready to knock the wolf demon out. But he never got the chance. Kouga smirked and glanced over at Kagome once more, but his expression wavered. Surprisingly he backed away, confusion flashing across his face.

The half-demon followed his gaze to see Kagome standing there like a porcelain doll. Her expression hadn't changed into fear or sadness as it usually did. She simply pushed off the wall and brushed pass them, heading towards her final class of the day. "Kagome?" he called, getting no response.

They watched her leave. "What the hell did you do to her?" the wolf demon demanded, his fangs barred as he fisted his hands.

Inuyasha glared at him. "What do you mean 'what did I do'? I didn't do nothin'!"

"Then why is she like this?" Kouga took a few steps forward, almost touching noses with the half-demon. "If I find out you did anything to harm Kagome," he threatened, glaring furiously at him. "There will be hell to pay." He stood there for a moment, the two facing off, before Kouga turned around and stalked off in the opposite direction.

The half-demon watched him go, taking a moment to let his anger cool down, before he followed Kagome down the hallway. He couldn't help but let Kouga's words get to him. Even though he played yesterday over and over in his mind, he couldn't think of anything serious that he had done wrong that would cause Kagome to act like this. Maybe it _was_ all his fault. Then again, maybe something else had gone down during her trip to the bathroom.

An image of Kikyo and Naraku's heated discussion, moments before she left the classroom that day, came flooding back. He finally connected two and two together. A growl sounded from his lips. If they had any part in what had happened, they would have a very angry half-demon on their hands. No matter what, he vowed he would never let harm come to Kagome. But now it may be too late.

* * *

Kagome was still deep in the darkness of her mind as the new girl silently walked through the hall after sixth period. She vaguely felt Kouga's arms wrap around her waist as he pushed her up against the row of lockers. However, she felt no pain, fear, or sorrow. The wolf demon had whispered sweet nothings into her ears in a seductive voice, but the girl couldn't comprehend what was being said. She didn't care. He gave her a kiss and she barely felt his touch.

A loud noise range through the hallway and suddenly Inuyasha was beside her. He yelled something at Kouga and the demon argued something back, but she paid it no heed. Rather, she took this opportunity to slip by the two men and continue towards her destination.

The girl didn't show any recognition or sign that she knew who these people were. And in the back of her mind she whispered: _Perhaps I never had ..._

A/N: Okay, personally I have to say this is one of my favorite chapters of the story. Hope you enjoyed it and please review. Its much appreciated!


	18. Darkness

To those I couldn't respond to:

InuyashaWifey: Since you didn't feel like logging in, I didn't feel like tracking you down and sending you a PM. So you had to wait until the update before I could respond. lol. I didn't really mean to portray Kagome similar to Sesshomaru, but I suppose if you look hard, its there. Anyways, thanks for the review. Glad you liked it.

erica: First off, I'd like to say thanks for the double review. It was kind of funny and left a smile on my face. As for Kagome, yeah, her heart is pretty much broken. Perhaps Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha can repair it before it becomes permanent. I tried to update soon, but with all of my other stories, its becoming rather difficult. Hopefully this story will be finished by the end of the month. At least, that's what I plan on. And thanks for your little comment about Shades of Grey. I just hope it lives up to all the hype. lol. Glad to see you're still a HUGE fan.

-DarkDaughterMay-: For some reason, I couldn't message you. So thanks for adding this story to your favorite's list. Much appreicated.

inu-youknow2112: Well, you're a little behind on chapters, considering you sent that review for Ch. 14, but I might as well respond to it here anyways. I don't know how far you've gotten since then, but by now you should know that things have kind of gone downhill. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it so far.

babygirl555: I was wondering where you went. Usually you're one of my first reviewers. lol. Anyways, yeah, I feel a bit bad for Inu too. Poor guy didn't even do anything. But its what needed to be done. And don't worry, hopefully Kagome can pull out of this slump. It will take an unexpected person's guidance to do so. I'm glad you're enjoying this story so far and that you've found the other story to be quite enjoyable. I loved writing it because I've always been into the horror movies and such. So doing my own was exciting. And who knows, I may decide to do another one. But until then, you'll have to make do with what I've got. I don't know how quickly this update was because when I wrote this, I hadn't even started on it. lol. But here it is, hopefully I didn't make you wait too long. I got a chapter outline together and it looks like it'll be about 26 chapters long, give or take a few. And as always, as long as you review, I'll reply.

Inu4ever: Well, I suppose I can try. But you got to read all of the happy chapters in the beginning so now comes the angst. And don't forget the small scene between Inu and Gramps last chapter. lol. Don't worry, I'll try to throw in some more happier scenes. Promise.

twilightluver04: I'm sorry it broke your heart. But unfortunately, that was the effect I was trying to give the readers. As a forewarning, there are still a few more twists in store for Kagome before this story comes to an end. Read on and you'll understand what I'm saying. lol. Thanks for the review. Glad to know you're still reading.

**Speak**

**Chapter 18: Darkness**

The nights had become quiet and unnerving around the Higurashi household. No lights shined from the upstairs windows and silence hung heavy in the air. Souta had noticed, as well as his mother and grandfather. But they just didn't understand. The boy knew something was wrong, something had darkened the atmosphere and he was determined to find out.

After they had cleared away the dishes that night, he began his way upstairs. Kagome hadn't been present at dinner, nor had she been there the night before. It seemed as though she had barricaded herself in her room. Glancing back to make sure the other two members of the household were busy and wouldn't intrude, Souta knocked quietly on his sister's door. "Kagome?" he called, hearing nothing but stillness. "Can I come in?" No response.

Not taking no for an answer, he sighed and turned the knob, swinging it open to reveal the darkness of her bedroom. It was so quiet, he could hear his heart pulsing in his ears and he swallowed back the lump in his throat. There was little light and it only came from the moon's glow. A dark figure sat on the bed. "Kags?" he called again, hesitantly taking a few steps towards the lamp on her desk. He flipped the switch, allowing a glimmer of light to permeate the air.

His sister stared out the window into the night. Her hair hung around her and she still wore her school clothes. With a sigh, Souta took a seat beside her. "Hey," he mumbled, trying to get her to look at him to no avail. "Listen, I know somethings wrong. I can see it in your eyes and you haven't been acting like yourself."

She continued to stay quiet, not even glancing his way. He absently wondered if she even blinked, considering she made no movement at all. "Please, talk to me," he begged. "I hate seeing you like this. Just tell me whats wrong so I can help." He placed a hand on her arm to give some sort of comfort.

Suddenly, she jerked away from him, trying to swallow an inaudible scream of pain. He quickly took his hand back, startled by her reaction. "Kagome?" he questioned, his eyes wide with fright. She cradled her arm gently against her chest and bit her lips to hold back her tears. "What is it?"

He reached for her again, but she shrunk away. She stood up and shuffled backwards to the other side of the room, putting as much distance between them as possible. Dumbfounded, Souta got up from the bed and took a step towards her. She turned her head away from him, but still no emotion showed in her eyes. "Sis, its me," he persuaded, cautiously reaching out a hand to touch her.

Just before he was within arms length of her, she whispered something. "Don't." It was a simple word, but it held so many dark emotions that he didn't understand what she meant.

Souta stopped where he was and dropped his hand, glancing over his distraught sister. Whatever had caused her such pain, whatever plagued her heart, there was nothing he could do to help her. He sighed and closed his eyes before retreating to the door. "You know I love you, Kags," he said quietly as he turned for one last glimpse of her. Kagome stood against her desk, not moving as he silently closed the door, rendering her isolated once more.

With a slight shake of his head, he made his way downstairs toward the kitchen where he was sure to find his mother. "Hey mom," he called as he came within hearing range.

The older woman turned from washing the dishes and smiled. "What is it dear?"

"I think something is wrong with Kagome," he replied honestly, not moving from the doorway.

Her smile wavered as she dried her hands on a dishcloth. "I know," she said. "I can see it as well. But whatever has caused your sister to act this way, there is nothing we can do to help."

"Are you sure?" he whined, desperately trying to find someway to ease the girl's heartache.

His mother nodded. "The only way heartache can be soothed is by the person who caused it."

Souta's brows furrowed in confusion. "Whats that supposed to mean?"

A light laugh escaped her lips as she set down the towel and made her way out of the kitchen. "You'll understand one day," she mumbled, patting her son on the head before disappearing into the living room. As she walked out of sight of her youngest child, the smile fell from her lips. She could only pray to the kamis that whatever caused Kagome such turmoil, someone would come to light the way through the darkness.

* * *

The following day, Kagome stood alone at her locker, slowly putting her unnecessary things away. Lunch time had rolled around and she fought to go as slow as possible, giving the hallways a chance to become deserted. Throughout the entire day, her friends had continued to pester her about what had occured, but she had simply ignored them. Couldn't they understand she didn't want to talk to them anymore? But they were persistent, that was for sure.

An inaudible sigh escaped her lips as she quietly closed her locker and began the trek upstairs. She had decided to hide out in the girls' bathroom on the second floor. That way, if Sango went looking for her, there was a slimmer chance of being found.

Her gym shoes echoed off the silent hallways as muffled laughs and shouts rang through the building. Obviously their lunch hour was a bit rowdy. With a slight shake of her head, she continued up the stairs, trying to fight back her emotions.

Since her behavior yesterday, Kagome had resurfaced somewhat. No longer was she a zombified girl who didn't have any reaction, rather, she knew what was going on and she could control her actions. But that didn't mean she did anything differently than the day before. She still ignored her friends and barely paid attention in class. It was all she could do to keep her emotions bottled up inside. From all the heartache bestowed upon her, she found she would rather not feel at all.

"It seems as though one can't trust anyone these days," a dark voice spoke, causing her to halt her steps. Her eyes searched the expanse of hallway, but too late did she realize the person was behind her. A hand came and gently caressed her hair, pulling it away from her neck so it fell softly against her back. "But you can trust me."

Her eyes struggled to see the man behind her, but she could only catch a glimpse of his pale skin. A shiver crept up her spine and goosebumps appeared where his hand had laid moments ago. Turning slightly, she saw a man who she wasn't sure if she knew his name. But his red eyes told her all she needed to know.

A sly smile spread across his lips as he stroked his fingers along the skin where her neck and shoulder met. "Wouldn't it be much easier to forget?" he asked softly, his voice seeming to caress the air she breathed.

Kagome felt a lump form in her throat and all of her instincts told her to flee from the dark man. But another part of her was intrigued by his words. Could he really take away the hurt? The memories that continued to plague her mind every time she let her thoughts linger too long, could he make them go away? "I could help you," he replied to her unspoken questions. "I could make you forget everything. I could make you feel nothing."

When she didn't move away from his touch, he stroked his hands across her shoulders, pulling slightly at her sweatshirt. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Wouldn't you like that?" She shivered involuntarily. Her thoughts raced at the man's words and she couldn't help but wonder.

Ignoring the strong feeling to run, she turned towards him and looked him straight in the eyes. His crimson spheres, glazed over with evil intentions, burrowed into her heart and she could already feel herself slipping under his spell. She shook her head softly, unable to tear her gaze away.

"Oh, but Kagome," he said, his smile widening. His cupped the side of her face, noting the way she leaned into his touch. "The darkness is so beautiful."

And that was her breaking point. The ability to forget all the pain that had bestowed her heart and all the memories that only brought more agony ... did she even have a choice? Kagome closed her eyes against his words, letting his touch numb all other feelings. She needed to slip away from reality.

With a exhale of breath, she gave into his every desire.

* * *

Inuyasha's eyes were almost glued to the cafeteria doors as he watched and waited for Kagome to make her appearance. When twenty minutes passed and she still didn't show, he growled low in his chest.

"Cool it, Yash," Miroku said, his eyes wandering to the other tables. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"I just don't get it," the half-demon barked, his fists clenched as he finally willed his eyes away from the door. He half-heartily gazed at the food in front of him. "Why is she acting like this?"

Sango shrugged. "I have no idea. Whatever happened must have been awful though." Her eyes widened in realization and she turned towards him. "Maybe it has something to do with her family."

He only shook her head. "That's not it. I would have been able to sense something when I went to her house the other day."

"Perhaps we're not looking at this the right way," Miroku murmured, folding his hands and leaning on his elbows. His companions gave him suspicious looks. "Well, what do we know about her strange behavior?" He gestured towards Inuyasha.

"She was laughing with me one minute and by the end of the day she was cryin'. What of it?"

"Perhaps something happened during the period of time between when she left seventh period and when she exited the school."

"That would give us a total of like ten minutes," Sango said, trying to recall the details of Inuyasha's story.

Miroku nodded. "Right."

"She only went to the bathroom, though," Inuyasha replied, a little confused as to what his friends were getting at.

"Think, Yash," Miroku persuaded. "Do you recall anything that happened that might give us a clue as to what has caused her such pain?"

He sighed and scratched the back of his head as he closed his eyes. His ear twitched as he thought back to study hall a few days ago. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. "Those bastards," he growled, slamming his fist onto the table, causing his lunch tray to jump from the contact.

His actions startled both Sango and Miroku. "What are you talking about?" she asked hesitantly, placing a gentle hand on his in order to soothe his fury.

"Kikyo and Naraku," he spat as if tasting venom. "They were discussing something right when Kagome left. Kikyo followed her minutes later."

Sango clenched her hands into fists and glared at him. "What?!"

Miroku shook his head slightly and crossed his arms. "What purpose would Kikyo have for wanting to harm Kagome?"

"Don't you remember?" the half-demon said, his eyes flashing with the desire to kill. "She's been tryin' to get me back forever. Having Kagome in the picture only pushed her to try harder."

"And if she followed Kagome to the bathroom," Sango mumbled harshly, catching on. "She could have said something hurtful to her."

"Which would cause her to act the way she did," Miroku finished. So that was Kikyo's plan all along. To toy with Kagome's emotions and turn them against her. "I don't understand what Naraku has to gain in all this."

"I don't fucking care," Inuyasha yelled, causing a few heads to turn in their direction. "I'm going to rip the two of them apart." His threats were usually meaningless, but this time Miroku wasn't so sure.

Sango pushed her lunch away. "Listen, Inuyasha," she persuaded. "Don't be so reckless. We don't even know if they did anything wrong. You can't just go around beating everyone up on a simple hunch."

He stood up from his position and turned his heated glare upon her. "I don't care what the hell you think. I'm going to give Kikyo a piece of my mind." Without another word, he stalked off to the other side of the cafeteria, leaving his untouched lunch behind.

The brunette sighed. "I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble."

"I agree," her companion replied. "Perhaps we better follow to make sure."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Sango replied, taking her eyes off Inuyasha's disappearing figure and gazing at Miroku. "I mean, he's obviously pissed off. Besides, if we went, it would be harder for me to control myself."

He eyed her suspiciously. "Some pent up fury, my dear?" She narrowed her eyes at him. He smiled and put his hands up defense. "I was merely implying that you feel the same about the situation as Inuyasha and me. But we must trust that he will do whats best for Kagome."

Her anger wavered slightly. "I hope you're right." She began stabbing her fork into her salad, having lost her appetite. Not only was she furious at Kikyo for having the ability to do such wrong, but she also felt concerned for Kagome's safety. Exactly what had occurred between the two women to cause such a reaction from her new friend?

A/N: Alright, a bit of a short chapter, but its necessary for the next one. I'll try to update again soon, but no promises. Let me know what you think.


	19. Deception

To those I couldn't reply to:

Joey Silversword: For some odd reason, I couldn't message you. Just wanted to say thanks for adding this story to your alert list. Its much appreciated.

erica: Yeah, I was trying to depict quite a few emotions in that chapter. After all, her family is worried sick about her, she is kind of lost on who to trust, and Inu/San/Mir are so confused as to why she's acting this way. Don't worry, though, this roller coaster will come to an end soon enough. And I don't mind at all. As long as you continue to review, I'll keep responding. Glad to see you're still a HUGE fan. =)

babygirl555: Well, I'm sorry about the cliffhanger last chapter, but it was kind of necessary. Hopefully this chapter came out fast enough for you. I have to agree with you there. When you don't know why someones acting strange, its really hard. I've gone through that before. But now they have a pretty good idea, but we'll see how this all pans out. Oh yes, I grew up watching horror movies. You can blame my best friend for that. He got me hooked. Thats why I had such a blast writing TBAT. And I even have a few more ideas for future horror stories, so I'll try to get working on those soon. Then again, we'll have to see.

**Speak**

**Chapter 19: Deception**

The shouts and laughter that filled the lunch room fell on deaf ears as Inuyasha snarled and strode quickly towards the opposite side of the cafeteria. His nose picked and prodded through the various scents until he came across the one he was looking for. She was smiling wickedly and chatting with her friends, each of them having an air of evil about them.

"Kikyo," he growled, halting at the end of her table, pounding his fist against it.

She looked up, startled at his sudden appearance, but soon all surprise faded away. "Inuyasha," she purred, her lips turned upward in a smile. "What business do you have with me?"

"Cut the crap!" he immediately responded, fixing his heated glare upon her. "You know damn well why I'm here."

The grin fell from her lips and she set down her eating utensils. Yura and Kagura turned to look at him as well, intrigued. "Please," she replied coolly. "I haven't the slightest idea of which you speak."

He snarled again, causing heads to turn in their direction. "What the fuck did you do to Kagome?!" Her brows furrowed in feigned confusion and her eyes seemed to glaze over with vengeance.

"Enlighten me," she said softly, sweeping her ebony hair across her shoulders.

"You followed her into the bathroom during seventh period the other day. What happened between you two?" His voice was dark now, laced with malice, as he dared Kikyo to voice the truth.

A faint smile crossed her lips. "I see," she replied smoothly. "So you believe I did something to harm her?"

He growled in response and slammed his fist against the table once more. "Damn it, Kikyo! What the hell did you do?!"

Silence had fallen around them. Only whispers could be heard from the other side of the cafe. Otherwise, everyone had stopped their conversations and turned their attention to the arguing couple. Kikyo glanced around her, not liking the unwanted attention. She turned her eyes to him once more. "I simply gave her some advice when dealing with certain people," she stated calmly, not the least bit afraid of his threats.

"I don't believe you," he grumbled darkly.

She shrugged and turned her attention back to her forgotten lunch. "It is not my concern whether or not you believe me, Inuyasha. I told you the truth. It is up to you to accept it."

Seeing that the conversation had come to a close, he crouched down low to her so only she could hear what he said. "If you put Kagome through any harm," he warned. "You will have to answer to me personally, and by kami, you'll regret it." With a final growl, he rose and stalked away, leaving Kikyo to ponder his words.

"What was that about?" Yura asked, watching Inuyasha's receding figure.

Kikyo smiled, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nothing," she replied. "He is still torn up about the end of our relationship."

"Poor guy," Yura mumbled, shoving a forkful of noodles in her mouth. "And such pretty hair, too."

Kagura stayed quiet during the exchange. Ever since they had tortured Kagome into silence, guilt had been building in the pit of her stomach. Her thoughts continued to flicker back to the first day Kagome entered Shikon High and she couldn't help but wonder exactly what the girl had done to deserve such treatment. As far as Kagura was concerned, Kikyo was just jealous of the relationship the new girl shared with Inuyasha. Everything that Kikyo had done to hurt her, was it all over rage and unrequited love?

She drew her gaze away from her so called friends and over the expanse of the cafeteria where Inuyasha had taken a seat. Kagura watched as the half-demon yelled and snipped at his friends, probably complaining about Kikyo's reaction to his words. Conversations had started up again in the lunch room, rendering their words useless to her ears.

"Did you see Ayumi's new haircut?" Yura spoke beside her as Kagura half-heartily tuned them in once again. The things they spoke of made her sick to her stomach. Who were they to judge?

Kikyo smiled with pleasure. "I haven't the slightest clue what she was thinking."

Suddenly, Kagura stood up from her seat, drawing the eyes of her friends. She didn't say anything, rather silently walked away from their table and toward the cafeteria doors. She couldn't stand listening to Kikyo's whiny voice or about Yura's strange affection for hair. It only made her angrier than she already was.

She quickly made her way to the bathroom and went to the sink, running her hands under cold water. As she finished and dried her hands, she glared at herself in the mirror. Her unusual burgundy eyes had given her a way into Kikyo's little cult and now she severely regretted it. There was such high standards to live up to when serving under the pompous bitch.

The door creaked open and someone entered. Kikyo's reflection appeared in the mirror, causing Kagura to swing her eyes to her. "What do you want?" she demanded, not at all pleased that the person she loathed had come after her.

Kikyo smiled knowingly. "I was simply coming to make sure you were alright. You looked a little pale back there."

"I'm fine," Kagura grounded out, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the sink.

"Let me tell you one thing," her enemy said, taking a step closer. "Don't even think about telling anyone what we did or you will have to answer to me. It had to be done and you know it."

"Why?" she asked, turning to face her 'superior' classmate. "What purpose did it serve?"

"You dare to question the plan?" Kikyo challenged, her eyes darkening. Her gaze searched Kagura's face for any signs of betrayal. She grinned in realization. "Are you feeling guilty for what you've done?"

"No," Kagura immediately replied, ashamed of lying to the woman. "I just don't understand."

"You don't need to understand," Kikyo assured, placing a hand upon hers. "You just need to do as I say and your days in this school will be nothing short of the best." With a sly smile, she turned around and walked out of the bathroom.

Kagura waited until the sound of Kikyo's footsteps disappeared before turning back to the mirror once more. The woman had been right about one thing: If she dared defy Kikyo's wishes, she could make her life a living hell. And with a school so small, there was a good chance that Kagura could become the laughing stock of the entire building. No, she didn't have any embarrassing secrets to expose, but Kikyo would tell lies and spread rumors that could cause someone to go suicidal.

With a defeated sigh, she closed her eyes. There was nothing she could do to help Kagome. If she did, her life would basically be over. And the school year had just begun.

Her mind made up, Kagura gathered her nerves and exited the bathroom. Maybe she was just too scared to meddle with Kikyo's affairs, or had no courage to move outside her comfort zone. Whatever the case, Kagome was on her own.

* * *

Inuyasha slowly made his way to seventh period, still fuming over Kikyo's reaction. Who was she to lie to his face? It was not in his nature to hit a girl, but damn it all, the desire to smack her across the face was so strong it was killing him. Obviously something had occurred between the two women, for Kikyo's eyes lit up with enjoyment when he spoke of it. But there was no way he could force her to tell him.

With a growl, he stormed into his classroom and slammed his books on the desk, causing the teacher and a few students to look over at him in confusion. But he didn't care what they thought. He was too pissed off and screw anyone that tried to make him feel otherwise.

Seeing the seat beside him empty, his amber eyes surveyed the room, searching for the agonized girl. He had to do a double-take when he saw her sitting next to Naraku. Thankfully, Kikyo had yet to enter the classroom, giving him the opportunity to demand answers from the crimson-eyed student. After all, the two of them had planned something together, didn't they?

He strode down the aisle toward the couple, ignoring the whispers and looks from other students. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha demanded, speaking low enough so the teacher didn't overhear.

Naraku swiveled his gaze to him. "Good afternoon, Inuyasha," he greeted, ignoring the half-demon's question. "I hear you had a few words with Kikyo in the cafeteria earlier today."

"Shut it," he growled menancingly, getting a satisfied smirk. He turned his gaze to the girl beside him.

Kagome looked so fragile, sitting straight in her chair with her eyes glued to the board at the front of the room. Her auburn orbs were clouded as her mind drew a blank. "Kagome?" Inuyasha called, standing in front of her.

She brought her gaze back into focus and dared to turn her eyes skyward to see the half-demon looming over her. He seemed so defeated that she had to grip her desk in order to hold herself steady. Oh how she wanted to burrow her face into his chest and cry away all her heartache. But what was she to do when the one person who could take the agony away, was the one that caused it?

He stooped down so he was eye level with her. "Whats going on with you?" he asked, his voice softer than it had been when he addressed Naraku. He reached out a hand to touch her, but she flinched, causing his ears to droop. "Talk to me, Kagome. Tell me whats wrong."

So badly did she want to close her eyes against his pleading face, but Kagome suddenly found that she couldn't look away. In his eyes, it was not the look of anger or enjoyment. Rather, he seemed confused and hurt. But that couldn't be, could it? After all, _he_ had been the one to cause _her_ pain. Not the other way around.

"Mr. Takahashi," the professor called from the front of the room. "Please take your seat and begin studying." They had been so caught up in each other, they didn't even hear the bell ring.

With a final glance at her, Inuyasha sighed and retreated to his seat, only to find that Kikyo had taken the place beside him. She smiled wickedly as he sat down, but it did little to bother him. He simply folded his arms and laid his head down, blocking out the soft drones of the classroom.

* * *

A blur of scenery passed by the window as the car sped away from the school. Kagome kept her eyes trained on the glass pane, lost in the realm of her thoughts. She wanted to think about what had happened in school or feel something, but she couldn't. And the horrible part was, she was glad.

Her eyes peered over at the driver, feeling a familiar shiver creep up her spine. Its not as if she asked Naraku to bring her home or anything. He had offered. Besides, a car ride with air conditioning was much better than walking home in the heat, which is what she had been doing the past two days.

They had been quiet the entire ride so far, but it wasn't awkward as she thought it might be. Sure, the smile on his face creeped her out a bit, but other than that, she felt completely content with the silence. It was unexplainable.

He turned down another street and she saw a hill loom ahead in which her shrine house sat on. The red arch came into view as the car slowed to a stop and he put it in park. She sat there for a moment, gazing at the long flight of steps, before turning to look at him.

Naraku's crimson eyes bore into her very soul and she felt all emotions fade away once more. His hand grasped hers and he laid a butterfly kiss on her knuckles. A sly smile crept across his face as he did so before he released her and leaned back. "Goodbye, Kagome," he said simply.

She nodded slightly before opening the door and stepping outside into the summer heat. The door slammed closed behind her and the screech of tires echoed off the asphalt as Naraku sped away, leaving the smell of burning rubber behind.

Suddenly, her heart clenched and she collapsed to her knees. All the emotions she had kept at bay all day came crashing down and a strangled cry escaped her throat. Without Naraku's presence, the spell had given way, leaving her to fall pray to every dark thought and feeling. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she sat there, trying to rid herself of all the heartache.

"Wait," she whispered into the breeze, begging Naraku to turn around and take away the hurt once more. Thats what she desired, what she _needed _to keep living. It just pained her too much.

Inuyasha's expression he held during seventh period came to mind and she couldn't help but try to close her eyes against the image. He had looked so heartbroken. But it wasn't her fault. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. The sting of the burn rubbing up against her sweatshirt was proof enough.

Kagome sat there for a few minutes, letting the tears fall freely and the pain to pierce her heart completely. Once she was done crying and the agony had become a dull throb, she stood up and made her way inside the house. It was true that she quite possibly could live with the heartache, but that didn't mean she wanted to.

With an exasperated sigh, she made her way inside the house, slipping off her shoes by the front door. "Kagome?" someone questioned. Startled, she turned around to see her mother standing in the kitchen with a confused expression. Panic began to rise within her. Ms. Higurashi wasn't supposed to be home for another hour. Why was she here so early?

At her daughter's bewildered expression, the woman explained. "I left a bit earlier than usual because they didn't need me." That seemed to calm Kagome's confusion, but did little to prevent her from asking her a question. "Dear, who was that man that drove you home?"

She could have sworn her heart stopped. How could her mother have seen who had brought her home? Was she spying on her? Kagome's brows furrowed in annoyance and she clenched her hands into fists. Who was she to meddle in her business? Without a word, she turned around and stormed upstairs, leaving a worried mother behind.

Kagome slammed her door shut and flopped down on her bed. She couldn't cry anymore, as her tears were already dried up. Then a thought crossed her mind. If her mother had seen who had dropped her off, than she must have seen the breakdown she had. Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. It was one thing to have to be tortured by such painful emotions, but when someone else has the privilege of seeing you collapse, that was something entirely different. And now her mother would be nosier than ever.

About an hour passed as Kagome lay there, her eyes trained on the window opposite her bed, watching as the wisps of clouds moved steadily across the horizon. Suddenly, a ruckus could be heard from below. Curious as to what the commotion was about, Kagome rose from where she lay and staggered over to the window. She peered out toward her front porch, only to see the half-demon that caused her pain yelling at whoever had answered the door. Obviously her grandfather didn't take too kindly to him coming around so often these days.

With an intake of breath, she stepped backwards and took a seat on her bed, trying to swallow pass the lump in her throat. He was so persistent and she couldn't do anything about it. What did it take to make him go away? She already yelled at him and gave him the silent treatment. Her heart began pounding her her chest as the front door slammed. Perhaps her grandfather was able to ward him off.

No sooner did she think that than her window was thrust open and the silver-haired boy was sitting on her windowsill. Her eyes widened in shock and she found her body frozen in place. "Inu ... Inuyasha?"

A/N: Alright, sorry for the little delay, but here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it and please review.


	20. Guilt

erica: Oh my goodness! You're review just put a smile on my face for the entire week. lol. Thank you so much for all the amazing compliments. I'm overjoyed knowing that someone appreciates my work as much as you do. It just gives me more reason to update faster. I try to update as often as possible, but with three ongoing stories and a life, it gets kind of hectic. I do want to apologize for updating late. In your last review you mentioned how swifty they are, but alas I seem to have disappointed this time around. Hope you're still reading.

babygirl555: Ha ha! Sorry to get you all worked up, but this story tends to do that to people. And probably the reason why you can't figure out where the story is headed is because I keep changing my mind and throwing in unexpected twists. But I'm dead-set on the ending I've got planned, so the rest should be easier to understand. lol. By the way, no I haven't seen Drag Me to Hell. I wanted to, but everyone I know says it wasn't as great as they thought it would be. I'll probably just wait for it to come out on video. However, I do love scary movies, so I may just have to go to the theater. Thanks again for the awesome review. Always looking forward to them. (by the way, it seems as though you have an account on here now. ;b )

twilightluver04: I understand exactly what you're trying to say. Often I read a story or chapter and find myself at a lost for words. Not because I don't want to describe how amazing the piece was, but because there aren't enough words in the dictionary to do it justice. *sigh* Oh well, I guess the only solution is to do the best we can. But seeing as how you were speechless, that just makes my heart swell with joy with how much you enjoyed the last two chapters. Thank you very much for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.

**Speak**

**Chapter 20: Guilt**

His ears twitched upon his head as he heard her utter his name. Kagome took a step back, rather surprised at his sudden appearance. Inuyasha stepped down from the sill and looked at her, watching as her eyes widened in shock. "Kagome," he said, a touch of aggravation in his voice. "You are one hard girl to track down."

Kagome didn't find the humor in it. She swallowed against the lump in her throat and tried to calm her racing heart. "Wha-what are you doing here?" she whispered, barely audible even to his ears.

"Keh," he responded, crossing his arms. "What do you think? I can't get to you anywhere else. You act as if I don't even exist." She lowered her eyes at his words, knowing he was telling the truth. He sighed. "What's your deal, Kagome?"

She stayed silent, unable to voice her thoughts. He should know exactly what was going on, shouldn't he? After all, he was the one that burned her arm. "You know why ... " she mumbled, turning away and closing her eyes.

He uncrossed his arms and an expression of disbelief crossed his face. "What the hell are you talking about?!" he yelled, although not loud enough for her family to hear. He grasped her arms lightly, so as not to hurt her.

Her eyes found his and once again she saw through the windows to his soul. Perhaps he didn't know what she was talking about ... "No," she said darkly. Kagome shook her head to rid the thoughts from her mind, although doubt still grasped her heart.

"Listen to me, Kagome," Inuyasha pleaded. "Whatever happened between you and Kikyo" - her eyes widened as he mentioned her name - "it was wrong of her. She planned to hurt you because she's an evil conniving wench! Don't believe a word she says."

A million thoughts raced through her head, each fighting for dominance over what to believe. As of now, there was no solid evidence that Inuyasha was untrustworthy, along with Sango and Miroku. But besides Kikyo's behavior, there was no reason why Kagome shouldn't trust her either. It was all so confusing.

"Why would Kikyo lie?" she asked. She needed a real reason as to why the girl would want to harm her. "Tell me why she would hurt me like this. What does she have to gain?"

Inuyasha let her go and ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck, I don't know, Kagome," he replied honestly. Resolution crossed his eyes. "She would do anything to get what she wants. You were only in the way!"

"And what is it she wants?" Kagome demanded, clutching her arm as tears dotted the corners of her eyes. "If I remember correctly, she hurt you in the first place. Surely it can't be the _great _Inuyasha she's after."

He stepped forward and opened his mouth to retort, but abruptly closed it. A smirk played across his face and he leaned back. She was kind of cute when she was all frustrated. "You know, ever since I met you, I've never heard you talk so much."

She bit her lip and clutched her hands into fists as a warning. "Inuyasha," she spoke fiercely, not finding him amusing at all. "You hurt me. Now you expect me to forgive everything you've done and come running back into your arms?"

The humor vanished from his eyes, replaced with confusion. "That's just it, Kagome! I don't know what I did to hurt you, I don't know why you hate me so much, and I have no fucking clue as to why you're acting like this!"

"Do you need a reminder?" she barked in return, taking her hand and rolling up the sleeve of her sweatshirt, exposing the burn on her skin. "Don't tell me you have no idea how this happened! Don't lie to me and say it wasn't your fault!"

His eyes widened as they glanced over the scarred skin. "Ka-Kagome," he said breathlessly, taking a step toward her. "How-"

Her gaze remained fierce as she retracted her arm and cradled it against her chest. "You did this to me," she said, trying to convince not only him, but herself that he was the true cause behind her confliction.

Inuyasha slowly shook his head and met her eyes. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Did Kikyo do this?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Perhaps she had told Kagome it was Inuyasha's wish to see her harmed. That would explain everything. The pained girl standing before him looked away. "That bitch," the half-demon growled, clenching his hand into a fist. But taking one look at Kagome, he knew Kikyo's beating would have to wait. At the moment, she needed comfort, not more problems.

He tried his best to control his anger and softened his features. Taking a step toward her, he wrapped his arms around her shaking form. "Inuyasha," she pleaded. "Don't." Kagome struggled against the barrier his arms provided, but she soon found herself giving into his will. She clutched to his chest as if it were a lifeline, and finally tears blurred her vision and trailed down her flushed cheeks.

The troubled girl wept into his chest, her pained cries muffled against his shirt as she cried out her heartache. Never one to be good with dealing with emotional girls, Inuyasha awkwardly ran his claws through her hair in an attempt to soothe her in any way he could. Kagome's legs collapsed beneath her and the half-demon sat down on the floor, cradling her in his arms. "Its alright, Kagome," he whispered in her ear, trying to do anything to show he cared. "I'm here now."

As the sun faded from the horizon and stars began to twinkle in the midnight sky, Kagome's cries ceased and her breaths began to even out. Inuyasha continued to hold her as they sat in silence for hours, just enjoying each other's company. "Inuyasha," she whispered quietly, causing his ears to twitch upon his head at the sudden noise. He glanced down at her, letting her know he was listening. She pulled away from him and amber clashed with brown. "I'm sorry," she mumbled softly, her words catching in her throat. Fresh tears welled up behind her eyes. "I didn't mean-"

"Stop." The word was simple, yet held such a mix of emotions. His eyes turned fierce. "Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."

"But, if I had trusted you more, this never would have happened," she persuaded, a tear slipping down her cheek.

He cupped her face in his hands and wiped the tear away with the pad of his thumb. "No, it wouldn't have turned out any differently." His voice was strong, but soft.

"Inuyasha," she began again, thinking up something else to allow him to blame her.

"Stop with that, will ya?" he growled warningly. "I'm not gonna sit here and argue with you about it. Ain't gonna happen."

Her lips turned into a pout as she crossed her arms and glared at him. When a few minutes passed and Inuyasha didn't seem to be giving up, she dropped her gaze and sighed in defeat. It was hard to argue with a stubborn half-demon.

Before they could talk about what was going to happen now, a soft thud of footsteps could be heard through her closed bedroom door. "Kagome," Souta called from the hallway before he knocked softly.

Alarmed, Kagome quickly stood up with Inuyasha and began shoving him toward the window. "You have to leave," she urged in a whisper. If her family found a half-demon in her bedroom without their consent, all hell would break loose. Not to mention her grandfather didn't take too kindly to the poor guy.

"Wait," Inuyasha said in return, confused by her actions.

"Just go." With a final push, the silver-haired boy flew out the window and onto the ground below. A strangled yelp echoed through the skies as he hit the ground, causing Kagome to cringe. "Sorry," she called out to him.

"Kagome," he grumbled from below, his mouth full of dirt.

She quickly shut the window to drown out his complaints and spun around just in time to see her bedroom door open. "Sis?" Souta called, hesitantly stepping into the room. "Are you alright? I thought I heard voices." Kagome nodded curtly and smiled at him. He eyed her curiously. "Okay, if you say so. Mom has dinner on the table."

Souta watched as his sister nodded again, a little too quickly for her usual behavior. A bit confused, he shut the door behind him and made his way downstairs, thinking what exactly had Kagome in such a flurry of mood-swings lately.

In her room, Kagome released a sigh of relief and relaxed against the window. She stole a glimpse outside to see Inuyasha standing up with a scowl on his face. She smiled weakly and waved slightly. He was probably going to give her hell for that one tomorrow.

* * *

Inuyasha and Kagome pulled into the school parking lot a little earlier than usual. They had spent the night before texting to one another and had come to a sort of understanding. Although the half-demon never found out what Kikyo really did, he held his suspicions, but decided to lay his curiosity to rest. He was just glad that Kagome was with him again.

He glanced over at the passenger's seat and grimaced. The young woman was looking out the window and biting her lip nervously. "It'll be alright, Kagome," he assured, taking his hand in his.

She turned to him and gave him a half-hearted smile. Inside, however, fear was gripping every fiber of her being. If Kikyo saw them together, she would know that Kagome had said something to Inuyasha. Not to mention that Naraku wouldn't be too pleased. They had left a few minutes before Naraku would pick her up, so she was certain that he was already pissed off.

With a sigh, Kagome stepped out of the vehicle and waited for Inuyasha to step beside her before the couple made their way toward the school. Although, what greeted them was not the normal grassy field with wandering students or the barking teachers reprimanding someone for doing something wrong.

Instead, an ambulance sat just outside the school doors. A group of students were huddled around, police officers keeping them back. Four cop cars lined the street, their lights flickering between red and blue. "I wonder whats going on?" Kagome spoke quietly.

Inuyasha's ears flickered upon his head as he grasped her wrist and quickened his pace. "Come on," he hissed, weaving his way between the crowd. It only took a minute or so for them to come upon Miroku and Sango, who had taken place near the front of the road blocks.

They were having a hushed conversation. Sango noticed them first and nudged Miroku with her elbow to motion for him to turn around. "Good morning," he immediately greeted with a smile, although is eyes were grave. "How are you doing, Yash?"

"Cut the crap, lecher," Inuyasha remarked without breaking a sweat. "Whats goin' on?"

The grin slipped from Miroku's face and he crossed his arms over his chest. "It appears as though our friend Kikyo isn't in her right state of mind."

"What are you talkin' about?" the half-demon demanded, clutching his hand into a fist.

Sango took a step forward. "When we came here, the ambulance was already parked out in front. I was just talking with one of the teachers. Apparently, over the summer, some bad things happened to Kikyo and she finally snapped last night."

"A few months ago," Miroku began, seeing as though the two newcomers were still confused. "Kikyo and her younger sister were heading home from a movie at night. Some guys hijacked their car. The information is unclear, but her sister ended up losing one of her eyes that night and Kikyo blamed herself."

"But what the hell does that have to do with what's going on?" Inuyasha interrogated, thoroughly annoyed.

"Kikyo is being transported to an insane institute." Sango decided to get straight to the point. After all, it would be much quicker and she was eager to talk to Kagome. She hadn't seen the girl in some time and there was much that needed to be explained.

Hearing her say those words caused Inuyasha to lose all anger. His shoulders slumped, his hands unclenched, and his expression relaxed. "Wha-what do you mean?"

Miroku sighed. Sometimes it was quite irritating to reason with a dense friend. "Last night something happened that just caused her to snap. Other information has yet to be determined."

"So she's gone psycho?" Inuyasha asked bluntly.

"That's not exactly the way I'd put it," Sango said with frown. "But when it comes down to it, yeah."

He growled in response. "That would explain what she did."

"What are you talking about, Yash?" Miroku asked, his eyes flickering to Kagome. Did something happen between the two women?

With a shake of his head, Inuyasha tried to calm his fury. His gaze traveled over the other onlookers. "I'll tell you later," he replied curtly, not wanting anyone else to overhear.

Before Miroku or Sango had a chance to object, a shrilling screech rang out through the courtyard, causing everyone to search for the source. Two police officers came out of the building, escorting two men. Dressed in doctor attire, they had their hands clasped firmly around each of Kikyo's arms. "Wait!" she screamed, her eyes streaming with tears. "Where is my beloved Inu? I need to see him!"

She was strapped in a straight jacket, rendering her unable to break free of the men's grasp and flee from the school. Meaningless babble flew from her lips as she continued to beg and plead with the uniformed men to release her so she may see her 'beloved'.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Sango said with a pitied glance. "But poor Kikyo."

Miroku nodded. "I agree. No matter the wrong doing she has done, no one should have to suffer to the point of insanity. It's a cruel punishment."

Inuyasha stayed silent through the ordeal. Even though Kikyo harmed Kagome to the point where she almost severed the bond between them, a part of him still loved her and always would. Nothing would ever be able to change that.

Kagome had stayed hidden behind Inuyasha in fear that Kikyo would spot her in the crowd. The woman had done such an awful thing to her, but now she understood her reasoning. Kikyo was crazy and the blossoming relationship that brewed between her former lover and Kagome must have sent the girl over the edge. But a question still remained.

Who told the school about Kikyo's erratic behavior? It couldn't have been Miroku or Sango, because they didn't know about the incident. Inuyasha was out of the question, for he would much rather get his own revenge than let others handle it for him. Kagome sure didn't say a word, considering Kikyo's threats earlier.

So who had the courage to stand up against the woman and drag her from her throne? Puzzlement crossed Kagome's expression as she thought about the question. Her eyes scanned the crowd before landing on the school doorways. There, standing in the shadows of the building, Kagura was leaning against the brick wall. Her arms were crossed and a scowl was on her face, but when their gazes met, Kagome wasn't afraid. The girl's burgundy eyes did not relay anger or hatred, rather they spoke of truth.

Kagura nodded at the speechless girl, giving her a message in which only she could interpret, before she disappeared into the halls of Shikon High. "Thank you," Kagome mumbled into Inuyasha's backside, a smile gracing her lips. Perhaps guilt can make even a horrible person choose a different path.

"Hm?" Inuyasha mumbled, turning to look at her. "Did you say something?"

She shook her head in response. He shrugged and took her hand, pushing his way through the crowd toward the school entrance. Once they were inside, they turned around to watch as Kikyo was dragged into the back of the ambulance. The doors shut out her screams of protest as the police cars took position in front and behind the ambulance, escorting her to where she would spend her time for the next few years.

The sirens came on and the flurry of activity died down as the vehicles pulled away. The last thing Kagome saw before the school doors shut was Kikyo's tearstricken face.

A/N: First off, I'd like to apologize to everyone for the delay in updates for this story. I did not plan to wait almost a month to upload the next chapter. I do have good reasons, though. I had a trip to my friend's house for three days last week, then I went to Wisconsin that weekend, my other friend spent the night on Monday, and my cousin spent the night on Wednesday. Not to mention I was trying to finish up A Change of Heart. Little to say, I had almost no time to write. But I'm back. I do have more plans for the summer so don't worry if I don't update for a little bit. I'm fairly certain, though, that it won't take me nearly this long to update again. So, I hope you forgive me and I hope you enjoyed the latest installment. Be prepared for there is only about six more chapters left. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Next chapter: There is a little more to the story of the night Kagome lost her voice.

Side note: I don't know if you heard the rumors, but Rumiko Takahashi is almost 100% sure she will continue animating the InuYasha manga series. It is unknown if it will be coming to the US this year, but be advised it will most likely be continued in Japan. That gives us a better chance at getting the series dubbed.


	21. Behind Crimson Eyes

First off, I'd like to apologize to everyone that had this story on alert or favorites. I had updated it earlier in the week, but after it was posted I decided I wanted to change something. Therefore I had to take down the chapter. So, sorry for the false alarm. Here is the new chapter and I hope you all enjoy!

To those I couldn't reply to:

erica: Oh I'm so glad! I was afraid with a lack of updating you might have given up on me. lol. I'm happy to see you're still reading. Well, to be honest, I don't think I'll actually answer your questions in the story, only because this is about Kagome's life. The past between Inuyasha and Kikyo is really irrelevant. But if you really want to know, I can give you an idea: Naraku befriended Kikyo, causing her to believe Inuyasha betrayed her, kind of like the anime. Therefore, she broke up with him and so on and so forth. Does that answer most of your questions? I hope so. Let me know if you have more. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the last. And, as always, thanks so much for the review!

c-side forever: For some odd reason I couldn't message you, but I just want to say thanks for adding Speak to your favorite stories list. It is very much appreciated and I'm so glad you like it so far.

Moonfrost-InuKag-7768: Well, since you didn't feel like logging in, I didn't feel like tracking you down. lol. Yes, I'm still alive and well. I just had a very busy month so writing was at the back of my mind. Anyways, I'm glad you liked the update and I had to crack a smile at that bit about Kikyo belonging in an insane asylum. Ha ha! As for Kagome's family hearing her speak, I'm going to try my hardest to put that in the story, but I'm not sure where I'll be able to fit it in just yet. I suppose you should just read the chapter to find out. Thanks for the review! Its much appreciated.

twilightluver04: I'm sorry you didn't think much happened in the last chapter, but actually a lot did. Kagome and Inuyasha made up and Kikyo was put in an insane institute. Oh well. I suppose it was a bit on the boring side. However, this chapter should kick things in gear real fast. Hope you enjoy.

nj: Thank you so much for the compliment! I'm so glad that you granted it five stars. I think you just made my night.

**Speak**

**Chapter 21: Behind Crimson Eyes**

After the incident involving Kikyo, the rest of the day was pretty much uneventful. The teachers tried to cover up the little scandal, but already the hallways were buzzing with rumors.

"I heard she killed someone and pledged insanity."

"Some guy raped her and she went psycho."

"Her parents died and she had no one left."

"Kikyo had a hit list and wanted to shoot-up the school."

Kagome frowned at the various conversations she heard while she walked to her seventh period class. Kids these days could be so cruel. They didn't even know the full story and already they were gossiping about the poor girl. Although she had injured quite a few students with her bossy attitude and hurtful words, Kagome had no choice but to feel sorry for her.

After all, Kikyo had gone through a tragic ordeal, probably sending her into the wrong crowd. Not to mention Inuyasha had been avoiding her and befriended Kagome instead. It must have been a blow to the heart.

"Kagome?" The girl snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her name to see Sango staring at her. "Is everything alright?"

She nodded her head with a smile. "I'm fine, Sango," she said quietly.

The brunette stopped in her tracks and peered at her friend curiously. Kagome, noticing the abrupt halt, turned to look at her. "Kags, you never told me what happened."

Feeling seemed to leave her as the dark-haired girl froze up. She didn't want to tell Sango about the incident, much like she didn't want to tell Inuyasha. Even though Kikyo was a bitch, for lack of a better word, Kagome wouldn't stain her name any more with things that happened behind closed doors. It was bad enough that the students made up heartless rumors. If they ever found out the truth, imagine what kind of gossiping could occur.

"Its nothing," Kagome managed to say, trying to avoid the crowd in the hallway, along with her friend's curiosity. She took a small step back. "Look, I have to be getting to class. I'll catch up with you later." Before Sango could reply, Kagome had turned around and disappeared down the hallway, keeping her eyes on the floor.

It wasn't until she was just outside the classroom door that she bumped into someone. An inaudible squeal escaped her lips as she fell to the ground, scattering her books and papers across the floor. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Not only had she made a total fool of herself, but she had to apologize. It was in her nature to right the wrong and sometimes that took words.

"It was my fault," a dark voice responded. The man knelt down to help her collect her things while the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

She knew that voice and it was one she would rather not hear at the moment. Her blood ran cold and she swallowed the lump in her throat. Gathering her courage, Kagome peered up at the ebony-haired boy, her eyes widening in realization.

Naraku was crouched before her, holding a few of her notebooks in his hands. "My my, Kagome," he spoke with a smirk. "Aren't we a bit clumsy today. You should be more careful and watch where you're going."

Words were perched on the tip of her tongue, wanting to say something to make him go away. However, her fear was too great. Not only that, but she had become lost in his twin pools of crimson. Something about them made her mind fall into itself, searching for a memory she had forgotten. She knew his eyes from somewhere and only now, when her head was clear of doubt, did she realize this.

She stood up slowly, never taking her gaze off him, and waited for him to hand over her books. "I seem to recall the fact that I was supposed to pick you up this morning, Kagome." She hated the way he said her name; breathing it like he owned it. "However, you weren't there," he continued, narrowing his eyes. "Tell me, how did you get to school this morning?"

Kagome flinched at his question, but otherwise did not respond. Luckily, she didn't have to. Just when Naraku frowned with annoyance, a voice boomed down the hallway. "Hey, bastard," Inuyasha called, appearing beside Kagome. "What the hell are you doing?"

All anger vanished from the dark man's expression as he smiled and gave the girl her books. "I was merely helping her up after she rudely ran into me." He eyed her with a sense of lust. "But don't worry. There was no harm done." Without another word, he jammed his hands into his jean pockets and walked into the classroom.

The half-demon eyed him wearily. "What's his problem?" he muttered under his breath. Although Naraku hadn't done anything wrong (at least, nothing he was aware of), something just wasn't right about him. Inuyasha could tell. And he was usually good at depicting other people's personalities.

Kagome bit her lip as the couple walked into class and took their usual seats near the front. The bell rang and study hall began, but Kagome couldn't concentrate on the homework laid out in front of her. Her thoughts kept flickering back to those crimson eyes and where she had seen them before. Not to mention that the few times she peered over her shoulder, Naraku would be staring back at her, an evil smirk upon his lips.

She shuddered. Even Inuyasha noticed her odd behavior, but she merely shrugged it off as having stress from too much homework. Thankfully he bought it. However, she knew it would only be a matter of time. He always managed to find out whatever secrets she held close to her heart. A smile tugged her lips at the thought.

* * *

"I just don't understand, Miroku," Sango said aloud as they walked down the hallway toward Kagome's locker to meet up with their friends. "Why won't she tell us anything?"

The man beside her sighed. "I don't have a clue," he replied honestly. "Whatever occurred with Kagome on Monday did enough damage as to cause her to distrust us. And I feel she doesn't want to tell us because she is either embarrassed at believing such a thing, or she doesn't want to further harm the culprit involved."

"The 'culprit involved'?" she echoed, sending him a curious glance. "What makes you think someone else had something to do with Kagome's behavior?"

A humorous smile fell upon his lips. "My dear Sango, do you honestly believe that such a drastic change could happen to our friend without the help of an outside source?" The brunette seemed to ponder it for a moment before sighing in defeat. "Listen," Miroku continued, trying to ease her worried heart. "If Kagome wants to tell us, she will. But until then, we shouldn't pry. After all, we want her to trust us, don't we?"

"I suppose you're right." Just then, the two of them happened upon Inuyasha and Kagome, who were waiting patiently for them. What was strange, however, was the fact that they were simply standing there, no words spoken between them. Usually the half-demon was talking up a storm with Kagome adding her opinions in whenever she deemed necessary.

"Hello," Miroku greeted with a smile. "How was the rest of your day?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "Boring as usual." He crossed his arms and leaned against the locker.

His friend ignored his behavior and turned to the quiet girl beside him. "And you, Kagome?"

She seemed not to hear him at first, but when her eyes turned to meet his, her cheeks flushed. "Same," she quietly responded, avoiding his gaze and looking at the floor.

Sango quirked an eyebrow. Even if something had happened to Kagome to cause her to distrust them a few days earlier, during lunch she seemed like her normal self. So why was she suddenly so quiet and shy around them? The brunette sighed in annoyance. Everything that had happened since they befriended Kagome was making her stomach turn as if she was on a roller coaster. Well, at least it was never boring, that was for sure.

The foursome began walking out the school doors, small chatter between Miroku and Inuyasha filling the silence. "What do you guys want to do today?" the lecher asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking up at the clouded sky. "It might rain."

"Well, I have to bring Kohaku to his soccer practice and then run some errands for my mom. I probably won't be done until after dinner sometime," Sango said in an apologetic tone.

Inuyasha ran a clawed hand through his hair. "Yeah, I have to go help Sesshomaru with some things. I don't know how long the bastard is gonna make me work."

Miroku glanced at Kagome. "What about you? Have anything special planned?"

She swiveled her gaze to him, barely hearing the question. "Actually, my grandfather needed my help with the shrine today. I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize," he chided. "It is not your fault for helping out a relative. I suppose I should go check on Mushin. I haven't heard from him in a few days and I wouldn't want the old drunk to croak. I'll be seeing you lovely ladies later."

"See ya, lecher," Inuyasha said as he made his way to his car, throwing a wave over his shoulder. Miroku and Sango said their goodbyes and headed to Miroku's car in order to drop Sango off at home. "You comin', Kagome?"

She looked over to see the half-demon waiting patiently at the bottom of the school steps and she gave a small smile. "Yeah, sure." The two got in and buckled their seat-belts before tearing out of the parking lot, speeding directly toward the Higurashi Shrine.

The silence was almost unbearable. At least, to Inuyasha it was. Kagome was quite content with it, for she was allowed to think back on what had occurred that day. Not only did Kikyo get sent to a mental institute, but Naraku's crimson eyes still haunted her. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall where she had seen them before.

"Hey," her companion called to her, grasping her attention after the third try. "You okay?" She smiled and nodded, allowing the car ride to become quiet once more. It was getting on Inuyasha's last nerve. A low growl reverberated in his chest. "Alright, whats goin' on?"

Kagome turned to him with a confused expression. "What are you talking about?"

He snarled. "Even **you** are more talkative than this. You've been quiet ever since seventh period. What gives?"

"Nothing," she immediately replied, a little too quickly for his liking. "I'm just a little stressed out with school."

"That's bullshit, Kagome," he said fiercely. "You know damn well that isn't the problem. And its pissing me off that you won't tell me whats going on."

"There isn't anything going on, though," she mumbled, leaning backwards to avoid his heated glare.

He slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "Damn it," he growled, pulling up to the shrine gates and roughly throwing the car into park. "I don't know what the hell is goin' on, but would you get rid of that damn pride of yours and ask for some help?"

She casted her eyes downward. "Inuyasha," she pleaded. "You have to believe me. Everything is fine, I promise." Her eyes found his once more and a small smile settled on her lips. He was just being protective and she didn't blame him after what happened with Kikyo. "Listen, if anything was wrong, I'd tell you, alright?"

The half-demon stared at her a moment longer, contemplating her words, before sighing and retracting his defensive position. "Fine," he admitted. "Whatever."

Kagome giggled slightly at his behavior, although it wasn't as warm as her laughter usually was. "Thank you for your concern," she replied quietly, placing her hand on his. "I really do appreciate it."

"I just don't want anything happening to you again," he said.

Her heart pounded furiously in her chest as she gazed deeply into his amber eyes and her breath quickened in response. The entire world seemed to stop and for that one moment, nothing existed but the two of them. She didn't have to think about her father's death, Kikyo's fate, or Naraku's crimson eyes. All that was on her mind was how his lips would feel against hers.

With everything that had happened over the past few days, last Saturday night seemed like a dream. She faintly recalled the bustling dance floor at the club and Inuyasha's arms around her as they swayed back and forth. However, she clearly remembered his expression as she spoke of her father's final moments and the way the half-demon wrapped his arms around her waist the following morning.

Truth be told, Kagome suddenly realized she was beginning to fall for the brash man who had befriended her almost instantly. He was the first person she really opened up to and she felt such an air of perfection around him; as long as she was with him, everything was okay.

Without thought, she leaned over and pressed her lips against his, ignoring his startled reaction before he returned the gesture, bringing his hand to cup her cheek. His other hand moved to caress her hair as he leaned closer, relishing in the heat surging between them. He needed her more so than she needed him. Even when he was with Kikyo, never had he felt so complete. And he suddenly realized he was beginning to fall for the quiet girl who had grasped his heart with a single shy smile.

The couple slowly broke apart, only for their necessity for oxygen. Kagome's eyes fluttered open and her lips quirked upward in a small smile as she looked into his honey-dew eyes. "Inuyasha," she breathed, her chest rising and falling as her lungs repeatedly filled with air. He pressed his forehead against hers and everything seemed to fall into oblivion; nothing existed but the two of them. "Inuyasha," she began again, finding her voice. "I-"

"Kagome Higurashi!" someone bellowed from the top of the steps. And just like that, the earth-stopping connection was broken. As a blush rose in their cheeks, both teens drew apart and turned to look at the old man, shaking a broom in his hand. "Child, you better get up here and start helping me. There is much that needs to be done!"

Her grandfather was always so strict when it came to the shrine. Luckily, because of his words, Kagome had a feeling he hadn't seen what had just occurred between them. Gramps probably didn't even know it was Inuyasha who had driven her home.

She shook her head slightly and smiled, turning to Inuyasha once more. "I guess I better go," she said reluctantly, finding the idea of leaving him almost unbearable. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

He nodded curtly, having yet to fully relinquish the blush on his cheeks, as she exited the car and slammed the door behind her. "Bye, Kagome," he mumbled softly as she waved from the bottom of the steps.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha," she called in return, whether or not she had heard him was unknown. "And thank you."

"Keh," he scoffed, turning his attention back to the road and shifting the gears of the car before roaring down the street. He glanced into his rear-view mirror to see the ebony-haired girl watching as he sped away, a dazed look in her eyes, until she had to respond to her grandfather's complaints and hurried up the shrine steps to greet him.

A rare smile crossed his lips as he thought about Kagome, the timid girl who had turned his world upside down and around in a matter of a week. But all thoughts of the kiss they shared disappeared as his house came into view and he could catch Sesshomaru's annoyed scent coming from within. "Oh shit," he cursed under his breath as he parked and headed inside. The bastard was going to give him hell for being late.

* * *

That night, Kagome tossed and turned in her bed. No matter how many positions she took up, sleep would not claim her and it was getting rather irritating. Her family had all sailed away to dreamland hours ago, but as her clock switched to one in the morning, she could only glare at it with malice.

She blamed her constant thinking. Inuyasha was always on her mind, as was her father and Naraku, each of the men playing an important role in her present day life. Love, sorrow, and fear. Such a mix of emotions that she had to endure, it was no wonder they kept her up at night.

Around two a.m., she finally managed to doze off for a little while, but the images that greeted her were anything but peaceful.

_Kagome was in her bedroom. Smoke clouded the ceiling and fogged the windows black. Acting on instinct, she pushed open the soot-covered panes and stuck her head out into the night air. Neighbors and children littered the street, surrounded by police officers and firemen. Chaos had ensued, but she couldn't understand why. _

_Their house was on fire, she suddenly knew, as if she had been in the same predicament before. But this time, Souta was down on the ground along with her mother and grandfather. Her eyes trailed across the crowd, even as a fireman set a ladder against the side of the house. _

_Strangely, she recognized most of the people crowding the street. A few of her neighbors were there, as well as her study hall teacher. Kikyo was standing with a worried expression, along with Miroku, Sango, and even Kouga. Her eyes searched for a veil of silver hair. If she could find Inuyasha, she knew everything would be okay. _

_But instead of finding the amber gaze she desired, a pair of crimson eyes could be seen through the darkness. Naraku stood there, his hands in his jean pockets and a smirk upon his lips, as he gazed at her with humour. "I've got you," a fireman called as she brought herself back to the man standing on the ladder before her. "Lets get you out of here."_

_"No," she shouted, pushing his arms away. "I need to find my dad. He's still inside."_

_He grasped her wrists firmly. "Someone is looking for revenge. The entire house went up in flames. Your father is already dead. But we can still save you." The voice was familiar and a picture of Inuyasha faintly came to mind._

_Even as she heard the words, never would she believe her father to be gone. But in the back of her mind she already knew. Still, she thrashed against his arms, trying her best to escape from his grasp. "Kagome," the voice called to her. She turned around to see that the strange man had disappeared, leaving her half-demon behind dressed in a fireman's uniform. "It's alright."_

_"Inuyasha," she mumbled in disbelief. "What are you doing?"_

_He held her close. "I'll always be here to protect you."_

_So badly did she want to fold into his arms and believe nothing else existed, but an image of her father's pained face continued to play over and over in her head. Once more she tried to break free from his iron grip, ignoring his pleas and the roaring of the fire around her. "Let me go!" she begged over and over again. "Let me go!"_

A scream tore itself from her lips as she sat upright in bed, drenched in sweat. Her bedroom door was thrown open and suddenly arms were around her, pulling herself to the person's chest. "Its alright, baby," her mother soothed, rocking the poor girl back and forth. "It was only a bad dream."

Kagome let tears stream down her face and whimpered quietly, the images still fresh in her mind. "Oh, mama," she mumbled.

Shock appeared in the woman's expression, having heard her daughter speak for the first time in months. Ms. Higurashi didn't know what had happened to cause such a change in Kagome's attitude, or why she chose now to break the silence, but she was forever grateful. Tears slowly fell down her cheeks. Her baby had spoken. It wasn't much, but it gave her hope that somewhere in that quiet girl, her strong and bold daughter still existed and would one day resurface again.

As her mother rocked her lightly and whispered soothing words in her ear, Kagome couldn't help but think about Naraku's appearance in her dream. She knew where she had seen his eyes before. When she was helping Souta out of their house all those months ago, a pair of red eyes had drawn her attention. It was a minor detail that must have slipped her mind due to the fact of her father's death.

However, now she wasn't so sure that his demise was accidental. _'Someone is looking for revenge. The entire house went up in flames. Your father is already dead. But we can still save you.' _The fireman's words echoed in her head and, although it was just a dream, she couldn't help but feel there was a bit of truth behind it.

Whatever the case, she was determined to find out exactly who Naraku was and how he tied into her father's death. Perhaps this was the reason why she lost her voice, why she had moved, and why she had met such a strange group of friends.

Fate had come into play.

A/N: I would apologize for the delayed update, but this one isn't too bad. Only a few weeks, but I was surprised I was able to get it out at all. I just sat down one day and wrote it all out. Hope you enjoyed. There is only about four or five chapters left, give or take, so enjoy it while it lasts. Hope you liked the latest installment and please review!

For fans of SBT: I'm sorry for the long wait. I have most of it typed up, but I'm just not quite happy with it yet. I won't post it until I'm satisfied, but hopefully I'll have it up within a few days. Not to mention I was sick this past weekend so I couldn't really get anything done. Hope you stick with me.


	22. Connection

To those I couldn't reply to:

Joey Silversword: Wow, I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much! Hopefully the final chapters don't disappoint. Let me know what you think about them.

erica: Yes, I'm back. Sorry for the delay, but you know how life can be. And I have to agree with you on the Naraku bit. He's always given me the creeps. But thanks so much for the compliment. I try to capture the characters as best as I can, but its hard to do that when you didn't write the original story. I know what you mean about being excited and sad at the same time. It tends to happen to me as well for my favorite stories. Hope that you enjoy the rest of the story, forever how long it will last. And, since its coming to a close, I advise you to look into my other fics. I've heard from my readers that they're quite enjoyable. Just a thought. As always, thanks so much for the review. I love hearing from a HUGE fan.

babygirl555: Even though you have an account, you still decide to sign in anonymous? Where's the justice in that? lol. Anyways, thanks for the review. Yes, there is a plot, somewhere in the mist of all this confusion. Hope you can see it coming along, but I'm afraid not all the information will be revealed until the final two chapters. And its okay that your review isn't that long. Although I enjoy those more so than others, you reviewed and that's all that mattered. I'm flatter that you take a few minutes just to read and leave a small comment. Makes me smile every time. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the last.

MsikGirl: For some odd reason, I couldn't message you. I just wanted to say thanks for adding this story to your favorite stories list. I'm so glad that you're enjoying this story so far. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

nj: Wow, I don't think I've ever gotten five stars for a story before. I'm so flattered for the compliment and I'm happy to know you're enjoying it so much. Let me know what you think of this next chapter.

Goddess Kyoko: I can't message you, but I just wanted to say thanks for adding this story to your favorite stories list. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

twilightluver04: It seems that since I rarely mentioned her family, most people had forgotten her dilemma concerning talking around them. But I brought that about real quick in the last chapter. I've got about two more chapters before its finished. I hope you love the rest of the story just as much. Thanks for the review!

Alice246: I couldn't message you, so I decided to come here and just say thanks for adding this story to your favorite stories list. I'm so happy that you're enjoying it so far.

**Speak**

**Chapter 22: Connection**

Kagome's eyes sought the clock on the wall, her penetrating stare doing little to move the hands faster. Another sigh escaped her lips as the teacher continued to drone on about the history of Japan. Most days she would have been absorbed by the various wars and history-changing events, but today she had more important matters to attend to.

Although, it wasn't substantial enough for her to skip class. Not to mention Sango would be very displeased with her and probably question her to no end. "Hey, Kags," said brunette called to her. Dragging her eyes away from the teacher's figure, she turned her attention to her friend. "Are you alright?"

She was about to lie and say yes, but suddenly she realized that what she had in mind, she couldn't very well do it alone. "No, actually," she responded truthfully in a whisper. "I need your help."

Sango suddenly seemed much more interested in the conversation. "What is it?" she asked in a hushed tone, leaning closer so the teacher wouldn't become suspicious.

"Do you think we could go by the library before lunch? I need to check something out."

"Sure," she replied hesitantly, wondering what it was that Kagome was up to.

A smile touched her lips. "Thanks." Before Sango could object to the vague description Kagome gave her, their attention was back on the teacher as he continued to talk about the feudal era.

Finally, after what seemed like a decade, the bell rang to release them from class. The girls bolted out of their seats and headed straight for the library. Sango desperately pushed through the crowds as she tried to keep up with her friend. "Kagome, wait up!" she pleaded, losing sight of the girl just before they reached their destination.

With a huff of breath, the brunette managed to make her way through the door and peered around the room, her breaths heavy and uneven. "Kags?" she called.

An old woman looked around one of the book aisles and placed a finger to her lips. "Sh!" she reprimanded, glaring at the student before disappearing behind the shelves once more.

She smiled sheepishly before furrowing her brows in annoyance and walking into the large space in the middle of the room, searching for her troublesome friend. Finally spotting her near the newspaper section, she immediately stomped over to her. "Kagome," she hissed. "What is the big rush? Couldn't you wait for me?"

"Sorry, Sango," she quickly apologized. Her eyes roamed over the various articles before her.

The brunette waited patiently for a moment, but when she realized Kagome wasn't going to say anymore, she grabbed her gently by the shoulder. "You know, I can't help you if you don't tell me whats going on."

Kagome paused in her search and turned around to look at her. "Well, I'm not sure its anything." She took a stack of papers and sat down at a nearby table.

Sango followed suit. "Listen, Kags, you never tell me anything. I'm your friend, right? I'm here to help." The plead in her tone had Kagome rethinking her decision and she bit her lip in concentration.

"Alright," she relented with a sigh. "But you have to promise that you won't tell Miroku or Inuyasha."

"Okay," she replied hesitantly. She was unsure of the reasoning behind Kagome's desire to leave the boys out of it, but for the moment she would do anything to help her friend out. "Now what's going on?"

Kagome's eyes clouded over with memories. "I had a dream last night, about my father's death, but it was different from the ones I've had before. I was reliving the moment in which I helped Souta out the window. And you were all there in the crowd on the street. My eyes were drawn to something red and when I realized it was Naraku, everything sort of fell into place."

"Wait," Sango said, her forehead creasing with confusion. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"If what I think happened is correct, than my father's death was no accident." When she only received a blank stare, she decided to try a different approach. "First off, I need to know Naraku's last name."

"Onigumo," she said, peering closely at her friend. "I still don't understand, though."

Kagome sighed and rifled through some papers dated from a year prior. A few minutes passed as she searched for the desired page. "Look here," she exclaimed suddenly, drawing Sango's attention to a large article.

**The Shinto Company Falls**

"The Shinto Company," Sango repeated. "I remember that. Two men managed the entire business until one of them accused his partner of fraud. They used to be a huge thing, too. Their scientific studies were unbelievable." She turned to look at her friend. "Kagome, what does Shinto have to do with you?"

Her gaze were downcasted. "My father was one of the men who started the company. The other was a Mr. Onigumo."

Sango's eyes widened with surprise. "Naraku's father."

"Mr. Onigumo and my dad had been best friends for a long time. Combining their knowledge on how to run a business and technical procedures, they created Shinto. Their studies were able to bring about cures for things as well as propel technology into the next stage. But Mr. Onigumo became too greedy and began lying to the banks and customers, promising money that they couldn't afford. Eventually, my father had enough of him and turned him in.

"Soon after, their financial struggles brought the company down, and with it, all hopes of a brighter future. Onigumo, enraged with my father's behavior, wanted him dead. So when I figured out Naraku had been there when my house was burning down, I could only come to one conclusion."

"You believe Naraku somehow had a part in your father's death?" Sango exclaimed quietly. "But how is that possible?"

"The policemen said that someone had tampered with the furnace and then a lighter had come in contact with it. I think that Naraku was somehow able to cause that."

Sango shook her head. "But that's all circumstantial. There is no proof to back up your theories."

"That's exactly why I'm here," Kagome replied with determination. "I need to know the truth behind my father's death."

Her friend sighed in defeat. "Well, I don't exactly support this whole thing, but if you really want to do it, I'll help you in any way I can."

Kagome smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Sango."

The two sat quietly for some time; the only sound was the soft turn of a page as they scouted the newspapers for all evidence concerning Mr. Higurashi's involvement with Naraku's father. They needed to know all the facts before throwing accusations around.

**Onigumo Accused of Fraud**

**Higurashi Blamed for Fall of Shinto**

**Stocks for Shinto Down by 23 Percent**

**Ten Year Sentence Granted to Onigumo**

**Shinto Files for Bankruptcy**

The articles were endless. Apparently while the naive students of Shikon High were worried about the status-quo, a major event was occurring within the city. It was bigger than they could have ever imagined, to the point in which a man might have lost his life.

"Are you going to tell the police?" Sango suddenly asked, her eyes never leaving the article before her.

Kagome shook her head and folded the last newspaper before looking at her friend with a remorseful gaze. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "What should I say? I believe my father was murdered by his coworker's son?"

She smiled. "It does sound a little ludicrous if you ask me."

"What if I confront Naraku directly?" She leaned her cheek against her palm.

Sango gawked. "You're not actually considering this, are you?" Kagome stayed silent with a thoughtful look. "Kagome, do you have any idea what he could do, if in fact he did murder your father?" The brunette's words were harsh and her brows furrowed with concern.

"Do you have a better idea?" Kagome asked, her eyes hardening. "The way I see it, the police will only look into it if we've got some kind of solid evidence."

"Exactly," Sango agreed. "Which is why we should tell Inuyasha and Miroku about this."

The girl's eyes widened a large degree and she leaned forward. "We can NOT tell Inuyasha about this!" she yelled frantically, afraid for what her friend might do. "You promised!"

"Yeah, I did," she replied just as fierce. "But I had no idea how dangerous this could be! Naraku could hurt you, or very well kill you."

"Which is exactly why I want Inuyasha to stay out of this. He doesn't need to be dealing with this. His life would be put in danger."

Sango opened her mouth to scream a retort, trying to convince the naive girl of the horrible mess she was in, but taking one look at her determined expression, she knew Kagome wouldn't budge. Her eyes softened and she untensed her form. "Inuyasha cares for you, Kagome," she said, her tone much softer. "He wouldn't want anything to happen to you. It would break his heart."

She bit her lip in reply. "I have to do this, Sango. He was not involved. I'm not going to let him take the fall for my father's enemies."

"You're like a sister to me, Kags," she mumbled with a sigh. "You let me know what you're going to do. If things go wrong, I'll know just where to find you."

A small smile graced her lips. "Thank you, Sango," she replied. The girls embraced, clinging to each other for dear life.

"You two." A harsh tone caused them to jump with surprise as they turned to face the intruder. The librarian stood there with her arms crossed, a displeased expression on her face. "Do you not understand the rules of this library? No talking. Now put away those papers and return to class."

The old woman waited, watching as the girls did as they were told, trying to hide the smiles on their lips. When they had finished cleaning up, they high tailed it out of there, snickering along the way. "She really needs to lighten up," Sango whispered softly as they walked down the abandoned hallways.

"I agree," her friend replied as they rounded the corner and came into view of the cafeteria doors. "Perhaps you should tell her that."

"And risk getting kicked out? Not a chance. That's my only way of doing research." They giggled at Sango's response before pushing open the doors and being assaulted by the loud chatter inside the lunch room.

As they neared their designated table, a pair of concerned and infuriated amber eyes met Kagome's gaze. "I think Inuyasha's upset with me."

"Why?" Sango asked. "You merely went with me to do research on an upcoming history report, that's all."

Kagome smiled, thankful for the excuse, as they came up to the boys' table. "Hello, ladies," Miroku greeted with a lecherous grin.

"Where've you been?" Inuyasha interrupted, skipping past the charm and hospitality.

"Calm down, Yash," Sango intervened, taking his gaze off her shaken friend. "We went to the library to do some history research. Stop being such a worry-wart."

The girls sat down and Kagome sent him an apologetic smile. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

His eyes softened at her apology and a sigh escaped his lips. "Keh," he replied, turning to his almost empty lunch tray, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

"What plans do we have tonight?" Miroku asked, pushing aside his forgotten lunch.

Sango shook her head. "Not much by me. Kohaku has a game right after school, but I'm free tonight."

The trio turned their heads toward Kagome expectantly. A large part of her wanted to hang out with them and feel carefree as she did last weekend, but the news about Naraku's involvement had her hesitant and unsure. "I might have to help my gramps with the shrine," she finally responded. It wasn't a complete and total lie. More, it was a cushion. If she indeed wanted to stay home that night, she had an excuse.

Inuyasha refused to give her such a victory, though. He rose a single brow and peered at her curiously. "You're gonna help the old man with the shrine when its dark out?"

His question did have some strange ring to it. After all, what is there to do at night concerning the upkeep of the shrine? She bit her lip out of nervous habit. "He has these sporadic moments. Besides, he's hoping to get a tour going this season for all of his ancient artifacts."

Her friends didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure, Kagome?" Miroku asked. "Perhaps if your grandfather needs help, Inuyasha and I can stop by today after school. That way you'll be free tonight."

"No, that's quite alright," she replied quickly. "I wouldn't want to be a bother."

The half-demon scoffed. "Keh, as if you aren't already."

"Inuyasha!" Sango scolded him with a warning glare. He merely brushed away her threat.

"Come now, Kagome," the lecher said, ignoring the small spat between his friends. He smiled at her. "What kind of friends would we be if we left you to work on a Friday night?"

"Responsible ones," she tried, failing miserably.

Tired of the way she continued to refuse their help, Inuyasha growled. "Would you shut up already, wench?" he barked, crossing his arms and leaning them on the table. "Why can't you just accept our help? We're gonna help you whether you like it or not."

She sat, stunned by his sudden approach and determination to the subject. All she could do was manage a nod before looking down at her homemade lunch, somehow having lost her appetite during the conversation. A sigh escaped her lips as she tuned out the pointless chatter of her friends.

These people, who she had known for only a week, had taken her in with no questions asked and even after the few dark days, Kagome found that she no longer wanted to keep her voice a secret. Her thoughts and feelings had bottled up inside her for far too long and all she wanted to do now was speak her mind. But an unwelcomed feeling was forming in the pit of her stomach. Something bad was going to happen, she just knew it. Happiness hadn't knocked on her door in a long time. So when was the downfall going to occur?

A/N: Gosh darn! For some horrible reason, this chapter has been the hardest one to write thus far. I just couldn't find any inspiration and the words just never fit together the right way. Which is the reason why its a late update. Anyways, I edited and rewrote it several times and this was the result. Hope you like it. Sorry to say, but I'm cutting down the chapters. There is one more chapter and en epilogue left. If I continued with it, there would be so many fillers, it wouldn't be funny. Anyways, thanks for reading and please review!

**Side Note: **As always, I've put up another poll concerning which stories you'd like me to work on next. Theres almost twenty all together and I'm really determined to give you guys what you want. One-shots will probably come first, but for the larger stories, I'd like your opinion. Take a few minutes, look at my website, and choose three. It would be very much appreciated.


	23. Carefree

To those I couldn't reply to:

twilightluver04: Thanks so much for the encouragement. I still believe the last chapter was one of my worst pieces, but I suppose its all a learning process. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it, along with the next.

erica: I want to give you my utmost gratitude with your honest words. It really helped put everything in perspective and kind of woke me up. So I took your advice and didn't write anything related to InuYasha for an entire week. And bit by bit, I slowly found my muse returning and I wrote when the time came around. Now, I'm pretty happy with this chapter and I hope I'll be able to finish this story off right. Thanks again for all your advice and help. It is VERY much appreciated.

babygirl555: Hm ... well, are you sure you're logged in when you leave a review? That's the only way I can reply properly. I'm glad the story is finally coming together, as much as I hated the last chapter. But I hope this one and the next will make up for it and end the story the right way. That is, if I don't screw it up. Thanks for the review, as always.

kagome3237: You disabled your PM's, so I was unable to return your messages a while back. If you enable it again, I'd love to chat with you about your story. Anyways, thanks for all the compliments, I greatly appreciate it. And I think continuing to write Inuyasha stories is one promise I can make.

**Speak**

**Chapter 23: Carefree  
**

The sun dipped below the horizon as the day finally drew to a close. Tokyo began to settle down for the evening as the nocturnal residents slipped on their night-wear and prepared to paint the town. Lights flickered on in skyscrapers and neon beams caught the attention of those who were looking for a good time.

Inuyasha's hand tightened around the steering wheel as he sped through the busy streets. His eyes kept glancing toward the girl in the passenger seat. Annoyance and concern, bubbled within him. Kagome had been eerily quiet during the ride, and even more so when they were helping her with her grandfather's chores. She acted worse than she had when they first met her.

"Where are we going?" Sango asked from the back seat, every so often glaring at Miroku to make sure his hands didn't wander.

"You'll see, my dear," said man replied, sending her a flirtatious wink. She rolled her eyes.

Kagome heard the question, but chose not to involve herself in the conversation, instead keeping her gaze on the window and watching as streams of colors passed by. She didn't feel like going anywhere outside the confines of her room, but with some careful persuasion from her friends, she found herself onward to some unknown destination. "Hey, Yash, should we tell them?"

Inuyasha peered in his rear-view mirror at the lecher in the back seat. "Keh, I don't care. It was your idea."

It was true. Miroku had insisted that everyone wear semi-formal attire. For what reason, they didn't know, but Sango had a sneaking suspicion it was going to cost a lot of money. "Thank you," Kagome spoke up, turning around to gaze at her friends. "You know, for helping out at the shrine."

The half-demon's face relaxed slightly at her words, relieved to hear her speak. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. "Don't worry about it, Kags," Sango assured, smiling at her. "That's what friends are for."

Miroku crossed his legs and leaned his elbow against the arm rest. "We did the good deed because you were in need of assistance, Kagome. Now we can enjoy the remainder of the night."

"That's if we have enough energy," Inuyasha grumbled, slowing down at a red light.

He quirked an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're tired from completing a few chores."

"Course not!" the half-demon quickly replied, turning around to glare at him as traffic began to move. "I can handle chores any day."

"Yes, of course," Miroku mused, hiding a smile on his lips.

"Would you two stop bickering?" the brunette interjected, crossing her arms. "Can we have one night without fighting? I'd like to enjoy myself."

Miroku leaned over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Have no fear, my dear, for I vow to never allow you to be bored again."

A blush crept into her cheeks and her hand found his face, causing him to reel backward from the impact. "You pervert!" she growled.

Kagome smiled at the scene. "I'm sorry," she said apologetically, a hint of regret in her voice. "I didn't mean for Gramps to go nuts on you guys."

Miroku placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You have nothing to apologize for. We volunteered."

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed. "If I knew the old man was gonna be so rough, I wouldn't have offered."

Sango glared at him and smacked his arm gently. "Inuyasha, you could use a crash course on sensitivity."

"Whatever," he grumbled in response.

The car pulled into the parking lot of a four-star restaurant. The passengers all stepped out of the car, looking at the building in awe. "You can't be serious," Sango breathed, her eyes scanning over the formal attire the customers were wearing and the exquised food being served inside. Miroku sent her a sideways glance and grinned triumphantly. "Miroku, how can we afford this?"

He took her hand and patted it gently. "Don't worry about that, Sango. I have it all taken care of." She didn't argue and even allowed him to keep hold of her hand as she was too enthralled by the sights around her. Coming from a middle-income family, she had never been to such a place before.

Inuyasha walked around the car and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his slacks, strolling along beside Kagome. Although the surrounding area would please anyone who wasn't of high-class society, Kagome didn't seem to notice. Once more she had trailed off into her own world, her thoughts occupied by something else. "Hey," the half-demon spoke, trying to grasp her attention. She turned to him with troubled brown eyes. "You okay?"

"Never better," she replied. Her voice was much too cheerful and her smile seemed fake.

He didn't buy it and saw how only a few seconds later, she was once again pulled into her personal realm. His eyes swept over the group of people making their way into the restaurant and caught sight of Miroku and Sango, who were waving their arms to get his attention. He grasped Kagome's hand, ignoring her startled gaze, and rushed to catch up with their companions.

After waiting in line for a short time, Miroku finally reached the podium. "Good evening, sir," the hostess greeted. "Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, it should be under Houshi." He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he waited patiently for her to find the name.

She picked up four menus and waved her hand over the restaurant scene. "Right this way."

"You actually made reservations?" Sango inquired, whispering into his ear.

He feigned heartbreak. "Dear, you wound me. There is more to me than lecherous thoughts, I assure."

Inuyasha took this moment to scoff. Sango narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head as the foursome reached a booth near the back of the restaurant. "Your waiter will be with you shortly," the hostess said before departing.

The brunette placed her napkin on her lap and leaned her elbow on the table, giving Miroku and Inuyasha a curious look. "So what gives?"

They glanced at her, confused. "What're you talking about?" the half-demon replied.

"There has to be a reason why we're sitting in a four-star restaurant. What's the occasion?"

Miroku took her hand in his. "Does there always have to be a reason for me to take a beautiful woman out on a date?"

She blushed profusely and pulled her hand away. "N-no," she stuttered. "Its just, this is a high-class restaurant. How can you even afford it?"

"Don't worry about the money," he said in a low voice. "I have it all taken care of. Order as you please."

Sango threw him another hesitant glance, but eventually released a defeated sigh and turned her attention to the menu on the table. The next few minutes were spent pondering over what to order. Most of the meals were foreign to them, as they had never heard of the fancy food mentioned. Thankfully, Miroku was able to provide them with a decent description of each. Not only did it take more time to order, but they had a very irritated waiter by the time they told him which meals they desired.

"He probably hates us," Sango grumbled. "Good going, Miroku. You could have given us some warning about all the delicasies."

He shrugged. "It would have ruined the surprise."

"Would you stop complain'n already?" Inuyasha growled. "You're at a damn good restaurant where there is damn good food, so shut your trap."

The twosome sat stunned, quite bewildered that he would use such language against them, a woman no less. "Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimanded, appalled by his choice of words.

As the night wore on and the food came and went, playful bickering occurred between friends. Sango watched Kagome carefully as the conversations leapt from one topic to another. Her new friend seemed awfully quiet and rarely did she take part in the banter. Her mind was elsewhere it seemed, and Sango wasn't the only one to notice.

Inuyasha snuck curious glances at the girl beside him. His aggravation continued to build as each minute passed, Kagome seeming to withdraw further into herself. Memories of the few days prior flashed through his mind and a twinge of fear gripped his heart. He prayed that she wasn't going to become that zombified-girl he had witnessed.

Finally fed-up with her attitude, the half-deom turned to her. He opened his mouth, prepared to accuse her and demand answers, but Sango intervened. "Kagome," she called, standing up and taking the girl's hand. "We need to use the restroom."

"We do?" the dark-haired girl asked, a bit confused.

"Come on," she hissed, urging the girl to her feet and began dragging her toward the ladies' room. "We'll be right back." She threw a wave over her shoulder at the boys before disappearing through the door.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath, clenching his hand into a fist on top of the table. "Shall I inform Kagome that you are not in the mood to spend time with her? I'm sure she'll understand."

Heated amber eyes swung toward Miroku, festering with the intent to cause pain. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" the half-demon asked, his voice seeming loud within the restaurant. A few heads turned their way and cautiously peered at the two before going back to their meals.

Miroku studied his friend intently. "Do you want to talk about it?" he prodded gently.

Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow, his anger cooling at the sudden question. "What are you goin' on about?"

He sighed. "You've been acting quite strange since earlier, Yash. Don't try to deny it. I believe it may have something to do with Kagome."

"Yeah, what of it?" The half-demon was not used to speaking freely of his emotions, thus he tried to understand exactly what Miroku was expecting. He was almost sure the lecher was about to spit out some perverted remark. When he only stayed quiet, Inuyasha knew he was waiting for a response. He sighed, his glare swiveling to the womens' bathroom. "Somethings going on, Miroku. I don't know what it is, but I can sense it."

"Care to elaborate?"

He released a growl of frustration and shook his head, staring at the table cloth. "Kagome's hiding something, I know it. But I don't understand why."

Miroku placed his chin on his hand, musing over his friend's observations. "Perhaps our new friend has yet to trust either one of us enough to let us in on all her secrets.

"Maybe," he mumbled half-heartily. But he didn't believe Miroku in the slightest. Whatever she was hiding, it wasn't because she didn't trust them. He could smell the slight alteration in her scent and a twinge of fear or nervousness seemed to radiate off of her. What could have her so spooked? It just didn't add up.

Meanwhile ...

Sango dragged a bewildered Kagome into the bathroom. She released her and crossed her arm, tapping her foot impatiently. Her friend merely stood there, her eyes wide with confusion, completely oblivious to the reason why they had found refuge in the bathroom. "Sango?" she inquired hesitantly.

"What are you trying to pull?" the brunette suddenly snapped, causing Kagome to flinch. "Do you want Inuyasha and Miroku to find out about Naraku?"

Her eyes grew wide and she quickly glanced around the stalls, hoping no one had overheard. "Keep it down, Sango," she chided in a soft tone. "Of course I don't want them finding out."

"Well, then you better start acting normal. I can already tell Yash suspects something."

Kagome stared at her friend for a moment before releasing a sigh. "I know," she replied with a whisper. She leaned up against the row of sinks, placing her palms on the cool counter-top. "I just can't get him out of my mind. Those eyes ... I can't explain it. I keep thinking of that night." She shuddered.

Sango's gaze softened and her stance relaxed as she peered at the distraught girl. "Look, Kagome," she said, taking a step closer and placing a hand on her friend's arms. "I promised you I wouldn't say another word unless you were in danger. I plan to keep that promise. But I can't lie to Inuyasha or Miroku if they start asking questions."

The dark-haired girl looked up. "I know, Sango." She breathed deeply and smiled. "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah," she replied, trying to lighten the mood. "Just stop thinking about that creep and enjoy yourself tonight."

"Sure," Kagome said, the weariness in her gaze disappearing slightly. "You're right."

"Now, let's go out there before the guys send the police in after us." They giggled at the thought and exited the washroom.

When they arrived back to their table, the boys stood. A lecherous grin lit Miroku's face as their 'dates' came within view, Inuyasha's words already forgotten. "Alright, ladies," he greeted. "Shall the night continue?"

"Yeah," Kagome said softly with a smile.

Inuyasha watched her curiously, knowing Sango must have said something to the quiet girl. "Great," he barked, already striding toward the exit. "Now can you hurry your asses up? Time isn't gonna wait for us."

Sango narrowed her eyes as they followed him. "He needs to have more patience," she commented dryly.

* * *

The evening seemed to pass by in a blur for Kagome. She vaguely remembered getting ready at Sango's house; her black attire hugged her figure nicely as she and her new best friend raved about what the night would consist of. They later found out Miroku had a dinner planned and a night out on the town following shortly after. It was supposed to be the perfect getaway from all of the drama that had occurred since school started. And it was, for the most part.

A warm breeze swept over the street as the gang stepped out of the restaurant. "That was a great choice, Miroku," Kagome said, placing a hand over her stomach. "I don't think I could eat another bite."

"The food _was _delicious," Sango commented.

"Why, thank you," Miroku replied, carefully tucking his hand into the brunette's. He managed to receive only a cautious glance from her before she visibly relaxed beside him. He sighed in relief. Perhaps she was ready to accept him. Although, getting her to allow his lecherous ways was another story.

Inuyasha stretched his arms above his head and tucked them behind his neck, lazily watching as the cars sped through the street. "Yeah, the food was good, but too bad they didn't have Ramen."

"What did you expect, Yash?" Sango asked with a humorous glance. "It was a four-star restaurant. They don't exactly keep low-class meals such as Ramen on the menu. You should've just stayed at home."

"Keh," he said with a grunt, absently scratching his ear. "I say everyone should keep a full stock of Ramen."

Kagome giggled and gave him a soft shove. "Oh, Inuyasha," she sighed, glancing up at the half-demon.

He merely looked away, but he was unable to hide the small smile from her eyes. To see her so energetic and partaking in the conversation made his fears slowly ebb away. "Shall we get going?" Miroku asked, gesturing toward the parking lot just around the corner. "I have a feeling working off all this food will be in everyone's favor."

"I second that," the raven-haired girl replied.

The couples strolled down the street, taking their time to look around at the various people and sights that passed by. They were in no rush to go anywhere and for the first time since the new semester started, things were settling down and everything was perfect. Kagome spoke freely around them, thanks to Sango's warning, and the eyes that haunted her nightmares seemed to have been forgotten for the time being. Inuyasha's mind was no longer occupied by Kikyo's wretched memory. Miroku had reigned in his perverted hands, leaving Sango unguarded for the first time in his presence.

It seemed everything was going to be okay.

A/N: Ugh, well, I guess an apology is overdo. Sorry it's taken me so long to get this out. I think there will be two or three more chapter left and I have already started on the next one. So that should make up for it, right? My goal is to finish up this story before the New Year, but I'm not sure if that's going to be possible. We'll see. I hope to update again real soon. Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter better than the last. The next update will be longer and include a bit of fluff and perhaps a bit of darkness. Hope you liked.


	24. Heart, Mind, and Soul

To those I couldn't reply to:

erica: Oh believe me, I took your advice to heart. I'm glad I did, too, because although it took some time, according to the response from my readers, I seem to be back in the swing of things. Kudos to you. I hope you enjoy this one just as much, if not more-so. Unfortunately, there is not going to be a sequel. There just aren't enough loose ends and I don't even have a solid idea on what to base it off of. Besides, I'll be looking forward to bigger and better things and I hope you will too. Perhaps you may consider checking out some of my future fics, for I'm sure a few of them may reach to be even greater than this one. Don't worry, this isn't a goodbye just yet. We've got one more chapter to stick through. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

**Speak**

**Chapter 24: Heart, Mind, and Soul**

Lights flashed all around the darkened room. It was warm and tight within the mass of bodies, sweat sliding down bare skin and staining dark clothing. Hair stuck to her forehead as her breathing came in heavy, raspy breaths. Her heart pounded quickly in her chest as the bass thumped through her body. Words were incoherent as they blasted from the speakers, crowding the dancers in an epic wave of the desire to be free.

This was exactly what Kagome needed; to become lost in the beats of music and the movements of her hips as she swayed back and forth. Her arms rose above her head, her fingers entangling themselves in her partner's hair. His hands moved rhymatically with the way her hips jerked back and forth. He grounded against her, his nose buried itself into her neck, inhaling her natural scent mixed with sweat.

Her mind was blank, concentrating on everything going on around her. Scents and sounds seemed to be amplified and her skin tingled with the need for more. Kagome didn't have to think about the troubles in her life, nor the danger that still lurked in the shadows. She only concentrated on the man behind her and the feelings in her heart.

Inuyasha tightened his grip on her waist, getting lost in the way they fit so perfectly together as they danced. They had created their own little world, one where they were the only two who existed. Her intoxicating scent was making him go crazy, the fog thickening in his mind. A growl escaped from his lips in pleasure as he tried to keep focus on the outside world. "Kagome," he murmured, his hot breath caressing her ear. A shiver shot down her spine in response.

Sitting at a table on the outskirts of the dance floor, Sango watched intently as her new friend became lost in the music. Inuyasha held her close, tenderly, as they danced. It was almost as if nothing else existed, the two of them captivating her with their movements. A drink was set down beside her and she unwillingly dragged her eyes away from the couple. Miroku smiled at her before taking a seat, keeping his hands firmly around his glass. "It seems as though our friends enjoy each other's company." There was no lecherous hint behind his words. It was a genuine statement.

Sango nodded as she took a sip of her soda, her eyes searching the crowd for their companions. It seemed, though, that the couple had disappeared, swallowed up by the group of dancers. "Its nice to see them both so happy."

"I agree. It has been a while since Inuyasha didn't have Kikyo on his mind. Besides, Kagome needed this." He turned toward her, his eyes filled with pride for planning the night himself. The brunette sighed and tore her eyes away from his warm gaze, concentrating on the bubbles that rose in her drink as she spun her straw. "I wonder, Sango, do you believe that something is bothering her?" He watched her reaction carefully. When her eyes clouded with realization and she swallowed, he knew he was right on the mark.

"Yeah," she finally replied after a moment of intense silence. Her promise to Kagome wasn't broken if she told Miroku the truth behind their friend's strange behavior. After all, Sango had told her that if either of the boys asked, she would tell them what had the girl so troubled.

Miroku waited patiently, hoping that she would continue. When she stayed quiet, he cautiously pressed forward. "Has she spoken to you at all? I'm worried about her and I would hate to see her hurt."

Lies were perched on the tip of her tongue. Gathering her courage, Sango looked at him, and her lies flew out the window. "She's told me a lot of things," she began carefully, hoping Miroku would either discourage the conversation or someone would interrupt them. But when neither of her options came about, she continued. "It's Naraku."

His brows furrowed with confusion. "I don't understand. What about Naraku?"

"He-" she abruptly paused and averted her gaze, wringing her hands together nervously. She swallowed. "Kagome believes he may somehow be linked to her father's death."

Miroku sat up straighter and gave her his full attention. Sango proceeded to tell him about the night Kagome's father died and the red eyes that seemed to haunt the girl's mind. When she reached the part about the newspaper articles and the Shinto company, her companion's eyes considerably darkened. "I see," he mumbled in thought. "She told you this?"

"Yeah," she replied with a sigh. "She wasn't cooperative at first, but I managed to get it out of her."

He crossed his arms and leaned back. "So, why is it she hasn't told Inuyasha or myself of this? If Naraku is truly involved with her father's death, then she could very well be in danger."

"I know that," she said with an eager tone. "But she won't listen to reason. She refuses to get us involved."

Silence reigned between them for a moment as Miroku pondered the situation. "I think Inuyasha should know."

Her eyes widened. "No!" she shouted, placing her hands on his arms. "We can _not _tell him about this. You know how he is. He'll track Naraku down without any proof and cause a whole lot of chaos."

"Perhaps you're right," he mumbled. "We shall keep it a secret between us for now. But if the danger level increases, I will tell Inuyasha myself."

Sango sighed in relief. "Thanks, Miroku. I really appreciate it."

He smiled and grasped her hands in his own. "Anything for you, my dear."

A blush dusted her cheeks and she averted her eyes, but didn't object to his touch. "Um ... tell me, Miroku ... exactly why did you take us out tonight?"

"Is it wrong to lather my friends with riches?" he inquired.

She let loose an exasperated sigh and pulled her hands away. "You don't have that kind of money," she insisted, peering up at him. "How could you even afford something like this?"

He clenched his jaw. "I didn't want it to ruin the evening or take attention away from someone who needs it more." Sango waited for him to continue, confusion swimming in her eyes. "I recently found out that my mother has passed."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Miroku." She enveloped him in an embrace, trying desperately to bring him comfort. Although he had grown up without his mother, as she had no desire to be in his life, he recently found her over the summer. They had a short and awkward visit and he hadn't heard from her since.

Arms wrapped around her in return as he held her close. "It's alright, Sango," he assured. That woman may have been his biological mother, but she would never be a mother in his heart.

She pulled away, tears in her eyes, and gazed at him curiously. "But that doesn't explain how you could afford everything." When he only looked at her with a small smile, realization hit hard. "She left you money?"

He nodded. "Turns out she left me everything she had to her name." Sango could only sit there in shock. "But please, let us not dwell on what can not be changed." Miroku enveloped her in a hug once more, noting the way she did not object. "The future is laid out before us, Sango," he murmured in her ear. "And I can not see it without you."

Her eyes widened at his confession. "M-Miroku ... " was all she could say, her heart beginning to pound faster in her chest. She slowly wrapped her arms around his body in response, hesitantly at first. They had been friends for quite a long time, before Junior High in fact. But it was only recently that she had developed feelings for him. Every time he flirted with another girl, rage boiled within her. She was crushing. Hard.

Oblivious to the romantic interaction their friends were sharing, Kagome continued the exotic movement with her hips, hoping that the upbeat song would never end, leaving her to wallow in the rhythmic beats. If only this moment could last forever, than she would be happy. However, fate did not stop time for her sake. As the music faded away, replaced with an electronic, ear-splitting mixer, she had to stop her dancing and wince against the sound.

Inuyasha stilled behind her, his hands resting gently on her hips. Her fingers curled around his wrists and she bit her lip in hesitation before turning around in his grasp. "Kagome," he murmured, his amber eyes sprinkled with lust as he took in her beauty. For the first time since they met, her eyes had turned a warm color of auburn and her hair seemed to glimmer under the flashing lights. Her cheeks flushed prettily from the heat and the burn scars on her skin appeared to have disappeared. Absolutely stunning, was the only phrase to describe her.

They stood there for a moment, ignoring the other dancers and the music, simply looking at one another. The half-demon leaned down and placed his lips tenderly against her own, waiting for a reaction. It came quick and confident. She entangled her hands into his hair, deepening the kiss, as his hold tightened around her waist. It was better than dancing to the beat of the music, for now it was nothing but the beat of her heart, allowing her to forget everything. If kissing Inuyasha would take away all the pain that had been bestowed upon her, than she would kiss him every second of the rest of her life.

Needing to breathe, they broke the magical moment. Inuyasha set his forehead against her's, breathing heavily in the crowded atmosphere. "Inuyasha," she breathed quietly, knowing he could hear her with his adorable puppy ears. She smiled at the thought and flicked one with her finger. He pulled away with a scowl. "Don't pretend you hate it," she said.

"Keh," he grumbled, at a loss of words. His witty thoughts had abandoned him in the heat of the moment, and his insides seemed to have turned to goo. He mentally cursed her for making him feel so vulnerable. Her lips fell into a pout and she averted her gaze. "What is it?" he inquired softly, his voice tinged with protectiveness.

"I just-" she glanced up at him. "Don't leave me."

He was startled by her whispered words, but when he saw the pain in her eyes, he knew her reason behind them. Her father had been taken from her with an untimely death and everyone she had ever known, minus her current family, had turned their backs on her. It was understandable that she would expect him to drop her the second he had the chance. With force, he wrapped his arms around her and placed her head against his chest. "I will never leave you," he promised, his voice husky with determination. "Don't you ever forget that."

She nodded into his shirt, her heart jumping with joy at his proclamation. At the same time, however, hesitation still seemed to sit in her mind. Was she ready to give her heart to him, allowing him the chance to crush it in an instant? _Yes_, was her quick response, no cautiousness involved.

Before the couple could say anymore on the transaction that had just occurred between them, Kagome was being pulled in a different direction. Inuyasha's head shot up, glaring at who dared to interrupt their intimate moment. Miroku stood there with an innocent grin and a red hand print across his cheek. But what was strange was that Sango wasn't scowling at his usual perverted moves. Rather, she was smiling as her hips moved against his own, her hands above her head. "Dance with us," she called over the music.

It took a few seconds for the surprise to dwindle, but when it did, Kagome returned the smile and found her place against Inuyasha's back, moving her hips once more to the beats of the music. His hands found their place along her hips and he buried his nose into the crook of her neck, smiling against the dark tresses of her hair. "I need you more than you could ever know," he whispered, unsure if she heard him or not.

The night wore on as the music pounded through the bass. Drinks were passed around to those who were of age and people began to stumble out into the cool night air. But the four friends stayed within the midst of the dance floor, laughing and enjoying themselves. The lights continued to flash overhead as the girls danced with each other and switched partners, all in the playful banter of friendship.

It was late in the evening when they finally exited the club, their voices reaching high into the skies. Kagome led the way to where they parked their car hours earlier, practically skipping. She had transformed into a whole different girl. "Come on, Sango," she called back to her, beckoning her new friend to her side. The brunette laughed and joined her, the girls locking arms and skipping down the sidewalk.

"This is a Kagome I have never seen before," Miroku mused as he and Inuyasha walked a short distance behind their companions. "We should bring her out more often."

"Yeah," Inuyasha absently replied, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his pants as a smile tugged at his lips. "Guess so."

The car ride was filled with excitement and promises for tomorrow. Sango yelled at Miroku for his perverted behavior, but her fury did not escalate to its usual point. Inuyasha grasped Kagome's hand in his and placed a gentle kiss upon it, catching her gaze every so often.

"See you guys tomorrow," Sango called as she exited the car, throwing a wave over her shoulder before striding toward her front door.

Miroku sighed. "What a fair maiden she is," he murmured.

Kagome giggled. "So, Miroku, exactly what happened between you two at the table?" She sent him a knowing glance.

He smiled. "Many things, my dear. Would you like me to describe them in detail?"

She scrunched her nose. "Damn it," Inuyasha barked from the drivers' seat. "We don't want mental images, Miroku!"

"I assure you, the scene was quite beautiful." Kagome and Inuyasha yelled at him in a manner of distaste, practically throwing him out of the car once they reached his house. He shot them a lecherous smile, mumbled something about calling Sango, and disappeared through his front door.

"Keh, that lecher'll never change," the half-demon scoffed with a scowl.

Kagome glanced out the window. "He seems happier, though. So does Sango."

"You think they hooked up?" he asked, peering at her through his peripheral vision.

A giggle escaped her lips. "I'll give you all the details once I talk to Sango."

Inuyasha's expression twisted into one of disgust, making her laugh again. They pulled up in front of the shrine and he threw it into park, letting the car idle softly on the curb. Kagome twiddled her fingers in a nervous habit, a small smile touching her lips. "I had a great time tonight, Inuyasha," she said quietly, stealing a glance at him.

He took one of her hands in his. "Me, too," he replied. Leaning over, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, stroking her hair lovingly before pulling back and looking into her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

She nodded absentmindedly, too lost in the depth of his amber eyes to comprehend what he said. "Goodnight, Inuyasha."

"Goodnight, Kagome." Reluctantly, she pulled away from his grasp, knowing full well her grandfather would come outside if the car was left sitting at the bottom of the stairs for too long. She opened the door and stepped outside, glancing back at her date. Her hand rose to wave, signaling a last goodbye, when an unwelcome feeling took over. Or rather, none at all.

Her back went rigged as her emotions slowly began to ebb away, her expression conflicted with fear. Inuyasha peered at her with confusion, watching as she practically froze in place. "Kagome?"

She didn't respond, her mind drawing a blank. This absence of emotion was familiar and the memories of a few days prior came to mind. Suddenly, fear gripped her. Not for herself, but for the man who appeared to hold her heart. "Inuyasha," she whispered, her eyes wide. "Run."

The half-demon dropped his lustful gaze, genuinely concerned about her well-being. "What happened?" he asked gruffly, but received no response.

"Well, well, well," a dark voice rang through the night. "Seems Kagome brought home a stray."

A shiver shot up the half-demon's spine as a growl escaped his lips, his eyes searching frantically through the car's windshield for the person the voice belonged to. "Come out, coward." He threw open the door and jumped out into the night air.

Menacing red eyes stepped from the shadows, accompanied by dark hair and a chuckle. "My, the half-breed seems to be quite angered."

Inuyasha's eyes hardened in recognition, watching as his classmate stepped out of the darkness. "Naraku," he seethed, clenching his hands into fists. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Good evening to you, too, Inuyasha," he taunted with a smile. "I was merely strolling along the city streets, when I came across your car. But what stepped out of it was more delicious." He licked his lips as his eyes swung to where Kagome silently stood.

"You bastard!" he yelled, sprinting around the vehicle to stand protectively in front of her. He peered back at her, noting the way her eyes were glazed over and her breaths shallow, just like a few days earlier. "What did you do to her?" he demanded, growling at the man before him.

Naraku placed his hands in the pocket of his jeans, his eyes alight with amusement. "I merely took away what she despised most," he replied, cool and collected. "Her emotions."

"Why the fuck would she want that?" Inuyasha screamed.

He cocked his head to the side. "Perhaps a certain woman we all know had something to do with it." The half-demon was silent for a moment before his eyes flashed as he caught on. Naraku smirked. "Seems as though Kikyo can be quite troublesome."

"Leave her out of this!" he grounded out in a threatening manner. "She has nothing to -"

"But on the contrary," the dark man interrupted. "She has everything to do with this. If it was not for her, Kagome would never had been broken. And oh what a beautiful sight!" His laughter reached into the skies. "Such a interesting girl, crushed completely because of an untrustworthy half-breed."

A growl escaped Inuyasha's lips. "Damn it all! What are you getting at, Naraku?"

"You are so oblivious, Inuyasha," he mocked. "It was because of you that Kagome locked herself away, all because of the lies Kikyo told her. Our plan worked perfectly."

"So, this was all a part of some plan? What would you have accomplished by hurting an innocent person?"

He chuckled and flicked a pale wrist. Inuyasha's ears flickered on top of his head as Kagome silently walked in front of him and into Naraku's arms. "You see, Inuyasha, not only do I get the one you love, but there is nothing you can do to stop it."

"You fucking bastard!" he insulted him again. "What the fuck is this? A charm, a spell?"

"Since my father was a demon, I inherited his bloodline, and thus his abilities to control one's heart when in doubt." He wrapped his hands around her shoulders and bent his head, trailing his tongue along her jawline. "It proves quite useful, don't you think?"

Inuyasha's blood was boiling and it took every ounce of his strength not to attack head on. Every move he made would result in hurting Kagome. Naraku would use her as a sheild of sorts, he was positive. "Kagome," he called in a gruff voice, his amber eyes locked on hers. "You have to fight him."

A chuckle escaped him as the crimson-eyed man threw his head back in enjoyment. "Don't you understand, mutt? She is fully under my control. Kagome can not hear you."

He ignored him, taking a step toward her with pleading eyes. "Look, Kagome, I know that its probably pretty nice where you're at right now. You don't have to feel sad or angry. But that also means you can't feel anything good either." He swallowed against the lump in his throat, trying to keep hope alive. "You were laughing earlier remember? You had _fun _tonight, Kagome."

Her eyes flickered for a brief moment before clouding over once more. "She hates you, Inuyasha," Naraku told him, forcing down the girl's inner protests. He smiled. "She wants nothing to do with you."

"That's not true," he barked in return. "Kagome, don't you want to see Sango and Miroku again? And what about your family? They're waiting for you just at the top of these stairs."

"Mama," she breathed, squinting her eyes against the haze of the spell.

Naraku's gaze hardened as he struggled to control the girl's overwhelming desire to be free from his clutches. "You will never succeed, half-breed. She's mine."

Inuyasha was not fooled by his poor attempt to dissuade him. "Kagome," he whispered, now within arms reach. "What Kikyo said to you were all lies. I care about you and I will never give you any reason not to trust me."

She closed her eyes and turned her head. "Inuyasha," she mumbled, placing a hand to her head. "It hurts."

The underlying message of her words rang loud and clear. Inuyasha knew that it was not her heart that was bestowed with agony. Her feelings were true. However, her head was still clouded by Naraku's poisonous spell and his sadistic words of darkness. There was only one way to rid her of the wretched miasma. Take out the cause. "You think you're so high and mighty," he taunted, directing his attention to Naraku. "But you're so weak. You have to put her under a spell just to get to me. I'm here so what do you want?"

"It is not you I want," he said with a smile. "But it is Kagome I am after. See, being a witness to her father's death, it was only right that I tied up any loose ends."

He growled. "You son of a bitch! You fucking killed her father and now you're after her?! How sick can you be?"

As the battle of wit raged on between the two men, Kagome continued to fight. All of her senses seemed to be clouded over and confusion swirled within. She could make out only a few words that were being thrown around. The words 'father' and 'death' permeated her thoughts and she immediately knew Naraku had some part in the tragedy that had taken place only a few months earlier.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said again, looking Naraku right in the eyes. "Don't you dare let this guy take you over. He's nothing but filth." He turned his gaze to the fragile girl and placed his hand against her cheek, completely ignoring Naraku's amused glare. "Kagome, I need you here. I need you with me." Her eyes locked with his upon hearing his confession.

"Inuyasha," she mumbled with tears in her eyes. Without warning, her expression went slack and her knees buckled, causing her to crumple to the ground. Before she could hit the cool pavement, Inuyasha caught her and laid her down gently.

"How is this possible?" Naraku asked with a scowl. No matter how strongly he pushed his spell upon the unconscious girl, he could only cloud her mind and fiddle with her heart. But her soul remained untainted. _How is she able to withstand my power?_

"Seems as though you're little spell failed," Inuyasha taunted, standing up with his fists clenched. He stepped over Kagome's body so he could protect her, while Naraku took a step back. He flexed his claws.

"You dare think you can destroy me?" his nemisis shouted with anger. "I shall take away your very existence!"

A darkness began to ebb at Inuyasha and he shook his head to clear it. "You're tricks can't hurt me," he said, easily fighting off his spell. "Your spell may work on humans, and maybe some half-demons, but you can't touch me. I don't have any doubt."

Naraku watched carefully as the silver-haired man continued to close the distance between them and realized that he had run out of options. Without Kagome as a shield and his spell had become useless, his bag was empty. The only option he had was to run in order to fight another day. "I'll be back, Inuyasha," he warned in a dark tone. "And when I return, you and the girl shall both pay."

"Oh no you don't!" the half-demon shouted, lunging at Naraku with his claws. But Naraku quickly backed up into the darkness once more and seemed to disappear in thin air, leaving no trace behind. His scent had vanished. "Damn it!" Taking a moment to reign in his anger, Inuyasha stared at the place where the dark man had been.

"Kagome!" a female voice rang from the top of the shrine steps. Inuyasha quickly turned around to see Ms. Higurashi running down the stairs with Souta and Gramps at her heels. She ran to her daughter's side and gathered her up in her arms. "Oh heavens, Kagome."

"What happened?" her kid brother asked, peering at his sister's unconscious form before swinging his gaze to her savior.

"Long story," he mumbled with a sigh, crossing his arms. "But he got away."

Ms. Higurashi gazed at him with puzzlement written across her face. She ultimately decided to let the matter be for the moment. Once Kagome was safe and all was quiet, she would question the strange boy about the events leading up to the state her daughter was in. "Incompetent half-demon!" the old man yelled, throwing some kind of powder at him. "For being unable to protect my granddaughter, I shall send you to where creatures of your kind belong!"

Inuyasha merely jumped backwards to avoid Gramp's attack, scrunching his nose in the process. "Would ya cut that out, old man?"

"He's right," Ms. Higurashi said. Her father stopped the onslaught, glancing at her. "If anything, we owe him our gratitude. Without him, Kagome could very well be ... " She covered her mouth and closed her eyes, shaking her head to clear the thoughts. Gramps placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

Souta looked up at the silver-haired man, admiring the stranger's strength. "I don't think I've seen you around," he mumbled, unable to recall the half-demon and Kagome together. She never really brought any of her friends home, now that he thought about it. "What's your name?"

His amber eyes peered down at the boy. "Inuyasha."

A/N: Well, as you can see I made this chapter a lot longer than the previous ones. I thought the ending should be continuous. Technically we still have one more chapter, but you catch my drift. Not too many reviews from my last update. Hope I didn't push anyone away with the long waiting period and the horrible chapter. So far this story has gained the most of my readers' attention and I'd hate to see it fall so close to the end. Hope you enjoyed this one. The final one should be out within a few days, giving everyone a nice time period to leave me a lovely (or not so lovely) review. If you have any unanswered questions, please feel free to ask so I can make sure everything is tied up nicely. Thanks for all your patience. Much appreciated. :)


	25. Speechless

To those I couldn't reply to: (If you review this chapter, be sure to look on my profile page for a response)

erica: Believe me, I get a goofy smile on my face every time I see you reviewed. I'd love to know which direction you thought the story was going to take. You have peeked my curiosity. I didn't really think of any other way for it to go. So please, enlighten me. And here is your reminder: Never quote a Brittney song again. (lol) Feel free to ramble. I love reading what other people have to say. I also love responding to all of my readers. Just because you don't have an account, doesn't mean you shouldn't be thanked. Review any time to any of my stories. I'll be there. By the way, once you're done reading this chapter, I suggest reading the end notes. ;)

IrishIndy: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Thanks so much for taking some time to review.

**Speak**

**Chapter 25: Epilogue: Speechless**

The cool breeze of March drifted quietly over the cemetery. Green leaves glistened in the sunlight as the branches danced for the first time since winter released it's hold. A majestic spirit seemed to take over, causing the grass to sway and the scent of flowers to carry with the wind. The sounds of the highway were hidden amongst the hillside and the chatter of others had gone silent. It was peaceful.

Kagome tugged her jacket tighter around herself as she gazed at the smooth, polished rock at her feet. The inscription spoke of love and loss, of the pain that had played at her heartstrings exactly one year ago to the day. She could still feel the heat of the fire as it touched her skin, desiring to dissolve her flesh. Her hand gently rubbed against a place on her arm, where a faded scar could still be seen under the fabric of her clothing.

She knelt down and gently traced her finger over the name inscripted. A shudder raced down her spine. The name was so familiar to her own. It was still hard to accept. "Hey daddy," she whispered. Her voice, although soft, choked with tears. "I can't believe it's already been a year. I miss you."

Memories swam in her vision, recalling the man who had taught her so much and had always been there for her. His expression as the fire consumed him still haunted her dreams, but it had gotten easier over the recent months. She no longer felt guilty about being happy. Her father would have wanted her to keep living, to find her happily ever after.

A bouquet of flowers was gently placed upon his grave as she smiled. Her eyes found the man next to her, watching as his silver hair spun with the breeze and a pair of doggie ears flickered upon his head. "Are you ready?" he asked her, his amber eyes finding her's.

She nodded and looked back at the name engraved, saying her final goodbye. Kagome had to let go, to stop trying to keep a grasp on hope, believing that her father would be there to walk her down the aisle someday. She had finally come to terms with his death. He may not be with her now, but she knew he was watching from the heavens. Suddenly, a warmth seemed to surround her and the scent of her father blended with the flowers. He was there, embracing her a final time.

Setting her fingers to her lips, she placed her kiss upon the stone. Inuyasha stood up beside her and waited patiently for his girlfriend to say farewell. She took her place behind him, flashing him a small smile, before slipping her hand into his and strolling down the hillside. Her family waited by their car. They no longer were burdened with grief and their gazes sparkled with happiness. It would be hard to allow time to move forward without the man who had brought their family together, but no matter what they did, the world would keep spinning forward. And they would continue to be there for one another, even when tragedy reeled its ugly head.

Kagome placed a tender kiss to Inuyasha's hand and rested her head against his shoulder, breathing a content sigh. So much had happened within the past year. From tragedy, to friendship, to betrayal, and love, the roller-coaster had finally come to a halt. She knew in her heart that as long as her half-demon was beside her, they were going to be okay.

* * *

In the weeks that followed the one-year anniversary of her father's death, Kagome dived into her studies. She needed to keep up with her homework if she wished to do well on her exams and receive admittance to the university of her choice. But that did not sway her new social life, revolving around her new best friends.

Almost every waking moment was spent together, whether it be clubbing or just staying the night at one of their houses, being together was what mattered. However, they had shaken up their regular routine for now, courtesy of Miroku, and Kagome found herself laying out by the pool, absorbing the sun's rays.

A content sigh slipped from her lips as she closed her eyes, listening to the sounds around her. Water splashed nearby as laughter filled the air. She smiled. Although Sango and Miroku bickered from time to time, they obviously loved each other. It was no wonder they eventually became a couple. Suddenly, a dark shadow slipped over her and she opened an eye to see what was blocking the sun.

Inuyasha stood before her with two glasses of cool lemonade in his hands. "Thought you might be thirsty," he said with a small smile, one he saved only for her.

She grinned and sat up straighter, taking the drink gratefully. " Thanks," she replied, letting the ice cold liquid slip down her throat. "Mhmm," she hummed with a sigh. "Delicious."

He shoved his hand into the pocket of his swim trunks and followed her actions, letting his eyes wander over the back of the house. "I never knew Miroku's mom was packing," he stated. "Don't know why the lecher didn't say something sooner."

Kagome peered over her shoulder, following his gaze. The large white mansion behind her was accompanied with the finest furniture, a perfect outdoor caretaker, and some of the most expensive cars she had ever seen. "Maybe he didn't want to bother with such things," she mused, turning to face her boyfriend once more.

"Keh," he scoffed, taking a seat in a lawn chair beside her. "Did you see the place he lives in? Its a complete dump. If I were him, I would've demanded some money."

"Inuyasha!" she yelled, reprimanding him. "Miroku was getting along just fine. He had a nice car to prove it."

He merely rolled his eyes and took another sip of his lemonade, letting his gaze fall upon the in-ground pool that had come with the package. Kagome fumed for only a moment before a smile touched her lips. She never could stay mad at him for long. Setting down her glass, she stood up and sat on the side of his chair, immediately laying her head against his chest and curling up beside him. Her fingers played with his hair as he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close to him.

As the couple sat quietly in the afternoon sun, enjoying the warm carress of Spring's breeze, Kagome realized she was truly happy.

* * *

A familiar warmth filled the home as dishes clanked quietly and voice spoke softly. The smell of food hung heavy in the air and the sound of the television murmured from the living room. It was another evening at the Higurashi household, which Inuyasha had become quite accustomed too.

"Inuyasha!" a woman called from downstairs.

He pointedly ignored her as his clawed fingers moved quickly over his controller. Sweat beaded across his forehead as he concentrated on the figures moving about the television. The small boy next to him would grunt with discontent every few moments, growling at certain points in the game. Souta had always been a whiz at video games. It was discouraging to finally have met his match.

A thump of footsteps alerted the half-demon to an approaching person, meaning their period of isolation was about to end. However, he continued to focus solely on his character, using all his senses to try and destroy his opponent. "Inuyasha," she called again dangerously.

Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, the door swung open and an angry Kagome stormed in, shutting off the television and causing their game to end. "Aw, Kagome!" Souta wailed, dropping his controller with a pout. "I almost beat him!"

"Keh," the silver-haired boy scoffed. "As if you could beat me. I was just about to throw your ass to the ground."

Kagome crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "Inuyasha, watch the language around him, would you?" she said in a tired voice. His ears flattened against his head at her words as him and Souta both stood, straightening out their clothes as they did so. She could only smile and dropped her offensive posture. "I came to tell you dinners ready."

With a delighted glee, her brother practically ran out of the room, leaving the loud thump of footsteps as his only goodbye. Kagome shook her head and found her place at Inuyasha's side, easily slipping her hand into his. A blush rose in his cheeks, but otherwise he made no objection to her touch. He gently pulled her toward the door, guiding her downstairs to where the rest of the family was gathering for dinner.

"There you are," Ms. Higurashi called as she finished setting the table. "I was wondering when you boys were going to show your faces." Her eyes glinted with humor as she smiled.

"Oh, mama, you know men," Kagome said with a giggle. "They won't come around unless you've got food on the table or sports on the television." This earned her a soft growl from Inuyasha as he protested against her words. She merely squeezed his hand affectionately, letting him know she was joking, before they took their seats at the table. Gramps and Souta followed suit, the old man complaining about how complex video games were.

Just as Ms. Higurashi placed the last of the dinner dishes on the table so everyone could self-serve, a knock came to their door. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she wiped her hands on her apron. "I wonder who that could be." It was on rare occasion that they received late night visitors, especially since the shrine was on the outskirts of the city.

She disappeared around the corner, leaving the rest of the family to stay silent as they listened in on the conversation. Hushed tones spoke quietly for a few moments before Kagome's mother reappeared, looking more confused than before. "Kagome, there are two policemen at the door who wish to speak with us."

Setting down their eating utensils, Kagome and Inuyasha followed Ms. Higurashi to the hall, signaling for Souta and Gramps to stay put. In the doorway stood two men in uniform, refusing to come inside. "Good evening," the taller one spoke, smiling softly at them. "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner time, but I was advised that this information was too important to leave until tomorrow."

"Well, spit it out already," Inuyasha growled, hearing his stomach protest with hunger. It didn't help that he could easily smell the food from the next room.

Kagome slapped his arm gently to reprimand him. "Please continue," she spoke to the officers.

The shorter one gave a curt nod before doing as she asked. "As you know, our police department has had almost every available officer on your case, trying without success to track down Naraku Onigumo. So far, we've had very few leads and most of them turned up dead-ends."

"However," the second man spoke up. "We recently received an anonymous tip from a woman last week. I apologize for not revealing this information until now, but our captain had insisted we keep you in the dark until we knew for sure if it led somewhere."

Ms. Higurashi crossed one of her hands over her stomach, letting the other one find a place over her heart. "What are you saying?"

A broad grin lit the officers' faces. "Naraku was apprehended less than an hour ago. We wanted to come in person to let you know that you're safe. Both him and his father are in jail awaiting their court dates and are surely to be given life-sentences."

The three of them stood still for a moment, letting this new information to sink in. Kagome's mother was the first to respond. She heaved a huge sigh of relief as her smile widened. "Thank goodness." Tears came to her eyes as her thoughts moved to the reason behind their arrest. She sniffled before turning around. "I'll go let Gramps and Souta know." Disappearing around the corner into the kitchen, muffled voices were quickly heard.

Kagome opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to wrap her mind around everything. "You caught him?" she finally whispered in disbelief. Over the past few months, she was constantly looking over her shoulder, fear meeting her at every turn. The only time she felt safe was when Inuyasha was close by.

"Yes," the officer stated. "Naraku and his father will never harm you or come near your family again."

"Thanks," Inuyasha said when Kagome failed to speak. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

"It was our pleasure," the shorter man replied with a tip of his hat. "Take care and enjoy the rest of your evening."

The couple watched as the officers made their way down the shrine steps before Inuyasha quietly shut the door. He turned to look at his girlfriend, watching her expression carefully. "You okay?"

She nodded mutely. "They caught him," she whispered again.

"Yeah," he confirmed, bringing her into an embrace.

Tears came to her eyes as she clutched his shirt, feeling relief flood through her veins. She would no longer have to feel anxious, watching and waiting for Naraku to make his appearance. He was locked up, most likely for the rest of his life. And even if he managed to somehow be released or escape, Inuyasha would always be there to protect her.

As if reading her thoughts, he gently grasped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. His amber eyes swirled with emotion, trying to convey exactly what he wanted to say. She smiled and stood on her tip toes, pressing her lips to his in a tender kiss. He immediately returned the gesture as they melted into one another, relishing in the bond they shared.

They pulled away for oxygen and embraced once more. Kagome wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his broad chest, inhaling his natural scent. He leaned down and placed his lips to her ear. "I love you, Kagome," he said, his voice husky with emotion.

When her entire world was falling apart, he was there to hold her. When she became confused with doubt, he was there to show her truth. When she was blinded by possible rejection, he was there to steady her. He showed her friendship, courage, happiness, and now love. This man had fought with her during the struggles she faced, so she would never have to face them alone.

Inuyasha had given her a voice. And now, he rendered her speechless.

She tightened her hold on him and smiled.

* * *

A/N: Sorry to say, but this story has officially ended. There will be no more chapters and no sequel. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. By the way, anyone have an idea who gave the police the anonymous tip?

Many thanks to:

My amazing beta, Dani: She didn't help directly with this story, but since I began writing, my style and level has increased so much. I would never have come this far if it wasn't for her.

All of my reviewers. This story has gone far beyond anything I could ever imagined. I watched how many reviews I received during each chapter and you may not know it, but your kind words and asking me to update got me through the difficult days this year. There are too many names to list, but always know that it is because of you guys that I continue writing. Also, here's to those anonymous reviewers who took a few minutes to leave a small comment: mRs. Takahashi, Gfxdsfyhvfdrgiijm, riley s, bleachwhitewolf, babygirl555, crystal, inu+kaglover4ever, jacob, InuXKag_Angel X, feudalgirl inukag, twilightluver04, inu-youknow2112, nessa671, brownsugar1213, nj, Joey Silversword, and IrishIndy. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

All my readers. Even though most didn't leave a review, I am glad I had those who enjoyed the story enough to follow it from beginning to end. Besides, not everyone has the time to leave a small comment. You should know that I appreciate everyone's interest in the story. I hope you find my other work worth while as well.

Erica. If it wasn't for her, this story would most likely be left unfinished or on hiatus forever. When I was discouraged about that one chapter, she laid down the line, basically telling me it sucked and that I should leave it alone for a while to get my muse back. Well, she said it nicer, but it came along just the same. So thanks for getting my butt in gear and pushing me forward. You are not only a HUGE fan, but a great motivator too. It really is appreciated. ;)

As some of you know, when a story comes to an end, I tend to be an emotional person, especially when it is one of my favorites. However, this goes far beyond any of my already completed pieces. It was because of this story that I received most of my fan base and got my foot in the door when it came to great stories. I must say it is definitely not one of my best pieces. My writing has improved so much since I first started, as you may have noticed while reading. And although I am sad to see this one go, I am happy at the same time. With this one off my plate, I'm eager to begin new pieces that I'm sure you will enjoy. So please, put me on your alert list. For this story was only the beginning.

Sassybratt


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